Winter wonderland in Tennessee!

Hey guys,

Well we have had 2 snow falls in the past few weeks here in Cleveland, TN and I wanted to share some pictures and a pretty funny video for your viewing pleasure.

We hope you are having a wonderful New Year!  Enjoy!

Christmas 2010!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

As we were preparing and anticipating the holiday season with Christmas and New Year it has been our desire to have a white Christmas! The past few years both Lesa and I have felt we needed to start our own family traditions and one of those was to stay home for the season since we had traveled so much the first 12 years of our marriage.

With my family in one state and Lesa's in another while we sometimes lived in another far away from either, we had lots of traveling during the holidays. These past 2 years have found us at home and we are grateful for a new home to celebrate in this year not to mention we have a white Christmas and right now the snow continues to fall.

Though we are aware it's not about the snow, the gifts or many other THINGS society has often made it out to be, we are thankful to celebrate with all of these being a part of our Christmas holidays.

We hope you find the joy in life's daily choices even in the midst of what could be a very hectic or crazy time of year. May you experience the wonder once again if you have somehow had it taken from the forefront of your heart and mind.

Sometimes as we walk through life, I find it easy to let the cares of the world to choke out the real life we have in Christ and relationship with the father and others.

Wishing you a Merry (joyful) Christmas and a very Happy New Year !

The Power of the Blessing

This is an article from a guy Lesa and I listened to over 13 years ago in a seminar and she woke this more thinking about the Power of the Blessing so she looked it up.

I thought it might be helpful for some and a good read for all.

Take care,
M

The Power of the Blessing

Not safe but Good!

A Big World!

How big is your world?

^{Matthew 28:18-20 says} "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Jesus saw the world and not just a few people sitting in front of Him: The love of He and His father transcended borders, barriers of hate and doubt in order to reach people with truth and love. He then calls us to do the same.

How big is our world? Have we managed to stay safe in the border living and kept ourselves clean from the effects of the world or have we gotten dirty while loving those who have seemed to be unlovable. I would offer that the latter is the life Jesus has called us to live.

Love the world and make disciples (students, learners) in the ways of Christ and not the name of empty religion. Empty religion is doing acts of worship for selfish gain or meaningless repetition rather than out of love for people and the cause of Christ. Trying to please God so He will find us appealing, rather than accepting the fact that He has come for us and made a way for us to come to Him.

How big is our world? Has it been shrunken by our unwillingness to be obedient to the words of Jesus in His call to love people different from us "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father" (Matthew 5:46-48)

Jesus has called us into a new kind of love, a love which puts action to our words and not just saying one thing and living another. "The world is not looking for someone who has all the answers, the world is looking for people who will walk with them in love through all their stuff, until they discover the answer for themselves". Jesus said when we hunger and thirst for His righteousness, we will be satisfied and if we are hungering and thirsting we will be loving those who God has called us in love to care for in His name.

It's a Big World but How big is OURS?

Love those who persecute you is what Jesus says "Love Always Wins" even when the natural outcome says different at the time.

Big love!

Shalom!

You shall not go out with haste the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Isaiah 52:12

The Church in Northern Indiana where I spent 4 ½ years as an Assistant Pastor had as our vision statement (if you will) Taking the Past, Changing the Future; we knew that God was the God of our past, present and future so we never wanted to forget Him in any stage of our lives. Take the past (not forgetting what we had come from or through) and making a positive, Godly progression into the future as we followed Him in our present.

This past year for us (and undoubtedly most of you) has had good, bad, unrest and the calm of peace at different times. Peace however is not the absence of conflict, it is the place where we find completeness in the God who cares for us wherever we find ourselves; peace is trusting Him and His ways as the waves come crashing down on top of us.

Peace (Shalom) means: completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. This word is used in Israel still today as a greeting and a farewell upon leaving a conversation or someone’s home. Shalom: peace in trusting the God who created the world still cares about what happens in it and to it, peace in knowing He has greater plans for our lives, than we could ever imagine or come up with ourselves. Shalom signifies harmony, health, well being, fullness and rest no matter what may be going on. If you have a broken relationship and you find it hard to bless them SHALOM, if you have been hurt and you just can’t forgive SHALOM, if you wonder where the next meal will come and how the bills will be paid SHALOM; God speaks the Peace of Shalom into our hearts. The problems don’t always disappear, but when we accept His peace (SHALOM) they certainly take on a different perspective in our lives.

Are we living in harmony with God in our everyday lives or do you (Like I have seen in myself recently) find yourself restless, unsettled etc because you can’t see past the end of your nose not to mention what is coming tomorrow. This is where Jesus say’s “don’t worry about tomorrow; for today has enough problems of it’s on”. Today is enough for all of us to walk in, yet I often struggle with what is to come; Jesus knowing the nature of man speaks to us in advance saying “the kingdom of God is more than food, drink or clothes just trust in your father because He knows you have need of these things as well”.

We have seen major things taking place in our world this past year (economy problems, job losses, bankruptcies) yet as believer’s and follower’s of a God who cares we do not live under this world’s economy though we operate on a daily basis within it. God’s economy is different as seen when Jesus declares “the meek will inherit the earth, the weak will be strong, those who show mercy will find mercy shown towards them and when you give your life away, you will then be able to find it” these are not just words but teachings from the heart of Christ on how I am to live each day. Trusting that though the day brings hard times and sometimes I don’t feel I even know where to start; I have a father who knows, cares, understands, guides and gives hope when there is none to be found anywhere else I turn. This is my GOD!

Isaiah 52:12 says many things in just a few short words but for times sake look at the fact that though God goes before us, He still guards us from the rear. Seems amazing but what I see is that God surrounds us; He leads us through the valley of the shadow of death and guards us from the backside so when the attack comes our vulnerable side is taken care of as well. We have no protective shield of armor on the back but God has our backs. As we turn with hope and anticipation towards the New Year if we are honest many times we are quick to allow the thoughts, decisions and hurts of yesterday take us away from the truth of God’s grace in today; He is the God of our yesterday’s and He allows the memory of those blunders, sins and times of disobedience or hurts taken by us to shape our future as we walk with Him.

He is also the God of our now and He desires for us to trust Him in the now and not just looking at the past or gearing up for the future. He said to Moses in Exodus “come up to the mountain top and stay here”. Moses I am about to give you something from myself for the whole world for now, the present and the future; so when you get to the top don’t start planning your trip back down stay with me. As I look back over this year in my life, I am keenly aware of the many times I have not sat with Him there either on the mountain or in the valley to discover His heart for me. Unfortunately I have been looking for the next steps or exit route in order to get back or on with it, yet God has been patiently saying “STAY HERE” just sit at my feet and I will take care of you. When the rain comes and the storm clouds grow dark I will take care of you and by the way “I love you buddy” and I have plans for you that you can’t yet see but hang on “It’s coming”.

This year has been mixed with sadness, pain, excitement, doubt, wondering, happiness, hurt, confusion, joy, obedience and disobedience yet through all “His goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life and I will rest in His house forever”. These are not merely the words of a Psalmist (Psalm 23) but a promise for me and everyone else that chooses to receive it. His goodness and mercy will follow and I would like to add, they will also be our guide and leader.

As 2009 comes to an end, I pray you are able to look back over the year seeing both good and bad knowing God’s goodness and righteousness have been there through it all. My desire is to never live in regret, though I certainly have some which have come due to my own decisions I don’t want to dwell there, I want to “Take the Past and Change the Future”. I will choose to worship my God in the midst of all these things and more. Nothing can separate me from the love of God; not heights, death, hard times, sin, doubt or even worry yet when I trust Him and follow His lead I will experience greater joy than ever imagined. This is my prayer for 2010~ to be so enamored with my God, that though all of these things and more are taking place, “I will trust you” because I know you are in control and have overcome this world.

Restful Sabbath!

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to spend most of the afternoon with some really good friends. They had been here for some of the conferences which had been running in conjunction with our school so we met up with them for an afternoon at one of the little beaches close by. They took care of boogie boards so he and I could hit some waves and in essence have the waves hit us back.

We don't have the pictures at this time, since Lesa does not like to use the digital camera but we do have some action shots of us on some of the biggest waves I ever been pounded by.

It has been great having these guys around at the same time we are here, since we only get to see them when they travel back to the states. It is always fun to catch up with old friends and spend time hearing what God has been doing in all of our lives.

The kingdom of God is truly built on relationships and we a grateful for the good friends God has put in our lives over the years, which have been a part of building His kingdom in us and others around us.

It was a restful time to sit with friends and enjoy the massiveness of God's creation (ocean swells and waves bigger than any I have seen before in person). We loved our sabbath rest and enjoyed some quality time with friends. Time spent with people, is time spent with God and we finished our day with them around the table in our room enjoying dinner together.

Thanks Lord for friends who will stand with us in prayer and friendship.

Aloha and thanks for reading;