The Family That Prays Together, Stays Together! 

Bear With Me, It's A Long Weekend!

Backtracking for just a moment today I wanted to let any "new visitors" know that my "Freedom Bear" overlooks the workspace on my busy office desk. He is only one in a collection that includes hundreds. The bears seem to embody a freedom that is present in the spirit shared by Cheryl and I. Our anniversary is coming up again this month and it doesn't seem possible that we've been together serving the Lord for over 20 years and married for 10 of them. Neither of us had any suspicion when we got together that bears would become a part of our shared "history."
Locally the Spirit of the 4th has been dampened by the deaths of several motorcyclists. Tourism being what it is in SD during the unfrozen months we are accustomed to fatalities, especially of the two wheel variety during the rally(Sturgis)weeks. One really never gets used to the tragic deaths of people, though, even if you aren't personally aquainted. The media via the net has made it possible for us to share globally as never before in the lives of folks. Along with this ability to view the "horror" that happens we could quite easily get "used to" the images and life shattering details. So much so that they cease to have an effect on us. I shared with my wife shortly after the first beheadings in the middle east that the outcry would decline with the number of broadcast depictions people became exposed to. Human nature is to take more lightly that which is commonplace. We are both so thankful for the little girl that was found at a Denny's, that is the upside to domestic violence, sometimes it works out to a "happy ending" in the life of a single individual. This is good! We prayed for that little girl and her brother daily, but only for a week or so. Then it was placed in the prayer book and was lifted up weekly, until she was(praise God)found. We haven't quit praying for him, but we know it does not bode well thus far. A community in Christ is called to undending prayer. Remember the praying that was done on 9\11? And it continued, and still does to this day, for every facet of the tragedy that took place. We are a nation of "praying believers!" We may not agree on some issues, but in our faith I believe our nation to be unshakeable. It is the simplest of things we can agree upon that make us, you and me, and millions like us "more alike than we are different." If we can agree that a "stuffed bear" is cute, and that prayer is vital to the life of our nation, we can be in agreement concerning so much more! We can celebrate our freedom in Christ and in our nation every day. God bless the USA, Preacher.

Bear On Wheels Celebrating Freedom! 

A Friend Forwarded This One Just For The Sake Of Fun. I Watched And Dreamed about Clouds Often As A Child. 

Reflections On The Peace We Are Blessed To Have In Our Nation. And Those Who Give To Make It So! 

This Is Not "Apples" & "Oranges" It's About People!

Let us begin with the church today, after all, it's Sunday and the services this morning are still fresh in our minds. There are churches that tend to offer ministry within the safe confines of their membership, and outreach is limited to "distant" places that are okay, because the people we are helping we don't have to ever sit next to. I suppose that this is not "bad" but it isn't "great" because we are called to stand forth in our communities of faith and feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the imprisoned. That gets very uncomfortable for some folks, and I understand their position, I would just like them to understand my Savior's guidelines as they were established by God's Word. Here is another illustration in which you may find some correlation. About ten years ago we had a new couple join our local HOG group. He had ridden for years, and the two of them had decided to get a brand new Harley to enjoy together. Their first year's membership in the group was free so they began to attend meetings. Both of them were from the $100,000 plus per year category of income. Everything about them was brand new and the "best" you could buy. I enjoyed talking with both of them and even teased her about the salon nails and the hair changes she would be making for the riding season. Others in our group viewed them as "outsiders" and remained quite cold to this new couple. They stayed for about two years and then sold the Harley and found something else to get "into." Not because they didn't like what we were about, but because they really couldn't be a part of it. A few years and they would have understood that a HOG gala event at Christmas time was not a premier opening of an art gallery. That isn't the point. The thing is, you and I have to be willing to reach out in fellowship to everyone, without thought to what they're wearing or their income status. It goes both ways! Affluent people can be shunned as quickly as anybody else. Our job is to get past that and welcome "everyone" with open arms if we are the church. And as we consider the country that by God's grace we have been fortunate to be born a part of, it is doubly important that we recall with humility our origins. This country, unlike any other in the world, was founded on freedom for everyone! The people who began settling it were the religious outcasts of European cultures and the "bottom of the barrel" types that worked hard, fought harder and made a place for themselves. Celebrate the 4th of July and when it's over start really looking for ways to use the freedom that has cost( and continues to cost)so much. Liberty for all! In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Overnight rain has chilled things down considerably. Happy Sunday! Stay safe for the Fourth!