Blizzard Remembrance

It came down, rain, hour after hour, drenching our world. The temperatures began to drop and the wind rose. Reports came in on the radio and the TV, interstates closed, schools cancelling quickly. This was the first of winter's true attack on the Great American Desert. Friends a mere 20 miles out were stranded without power for 28 hours in one place, two days in another. Trees gathered ice and snapped in the wind causing damage to homes and yards. Communications were limited in some areas to wireless only. Road crews were called in from their rounds due to the lack of visibility. Life as we know it came to a slow, freezing halt. Ice on vehicles reached a depth of a quarter inch right here at our house. The entire north side of the house became coated with a sheet of ice(hopefully the snow will drop tomorrow so I can take pictures)and our patio window which looks out on the backyard filled with powdered snow until there was not an inch left uncovered(the window measures 24 feet by 8 feet)! Darkness reigned over the living room during daylight hours. In the very midst of the storm, though, there came a blessing. Her name is Kyra. She is my 4 1\2 year old grand. We decorated today!!! No preschool, no way to really get around, and nothing to do but enjoy one another's company. What a day! We decorated, ate too much candy, enjoyed some pie and pizza(in that order)and for the most part let the rest of the world take care of itself except during mealtime prayers. I had to return her to her mom at 6. She returns tomorrow at 9 in the am for another day with Cheryl and I. Tomorrow evening the Governor of SD will be in town for one of those political dinners($1000 per plate fund raiser at a friends home). We'll be there helping with final preparations for his visit, and in the midst of it all we will be celebrating the coming once again of the Christ Child in our hearts. I noticed that the time sort of sped by today as we did our various activities. Maybe life is always like that but we just don't notice. I give thanks tonight for the wonder of a storm, the warmth of our home, and the safety we have been given in being able to take care of one another. We are all alive and well, and the days will continue to march forward to the birthday celebration that is coming. Holidays and storms give us much cause to remember. Even the worst of storms are not without their blessings if we take the time to see them for what they are. I pray you are enjoying the coming of Christmas with those closest to you and creating memorable moments you can share for years to come. God bless, Preacher.

Getting Ready!

 
My wife(Cheryl)told me not to put anything out here until the decorating was finished. If you're reading this, honey, I hope you realize that nobody sees everything the way we do. Out here on the internet people only see what the lens on the camera sees, and that isn't all that good 'cause of the guy on the backside of the lens\screen. All anyone sees is a portion of what is going on. Kind of like life, really! None of us really knows everything that is happening at any given moment. Kids always ask a lot of questions this time of the year(as if they don't all year through), for the most part I enjoy answering them, but there is that one question. "Does God really see everything that is happening?" The truth is I believe so much in God that I know all things are possible. I don't think it's like we watch TV as one youngster mentioned a few years ago. I wouldn't like to think that God was tuning into my channel every once in awhile just to see how I'm getting along. Take for instance the policeman that pulled me over for running through a red light while taking my wife to Walmart. If God had been watching I'm sure I wouldn't have gotten a ticket, after all it was an honest mistake. The truth is I just was not paying attention. I pulled into the left turn lane and wasn't even looking for the left turn lane light. I did note that there was no opposing traffic, that's a good thing. The officer even mentioned that I was lucky there had been no oncoming traffic at that moment. I also noted that he ran the same red light to pick me up but decided I had better not mention this to him while we were chatting in his car. Is God checking out our daily lives? I don't know. I know we do the best that we can and when we fail God is there to build us back up and strengthen us for the next attempt. I know that God is present with me every moment of every hour in every day. I know that God is in me and in Christ I am one with God. God's Spirit is in here with me, and that is a for sure! So I guess when I consider the question again, I'd have to say God is watching me. I pray He is watching you, also, as you get ready to celebrate Christmas this year. God bless, Preacher. 

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Like spring cleaning and yard work another season has just opened. This one is the celebration of our Savior's birth. A joyous holiday recognized over the surface of much of our planet. A major portion of the celebrating is accomplished through the media and with the help of smal recatangle shaped pieces of plastic. I truly love the end result of the season for me in a purely selfish way. I get to share the music of many generations with children of all ages. In the malls and shopping plazas the sounds of Christmas will be heard cheering people on, and helping to alleviate the stress of overspending. We all have our limitations, but at Christmas time they usually go by the wayside. I enjoy the giving of presents to folks, I guess that's why I do it year around. My secret for gift giving is this: "Never give anyone anything that you wouldn't just love to have for yourself!" That really makes the gift a special one for the recipient, and also does worlds of good for me on the inside. Tomorrow as we gather for worship we will begin the walk the wiseguys started on their way to Bethelville so long ago, led by that meteorite that blazed through the night sky. There were some drovers that saw it, too! They rounded up their doggies and ended up at the same livery as the wiseguys that night so long ago. God bless, and happy holidays to all, Preacher.

Unfinished Business!

 

These are the doors that lead to our combination pantry\laundry\utility room. We've lived here for six years with no door, and(like a lot of other things)I never got around to putting it together until now. I think I am a procrastinator(maybe I should look this up for correct spelling and definition - nah, I can do that later), not all the time, but when I am I do it well! Today's memorial service was a good one! It had all the earmarks of a horrible personal experience, but God somehow turned that around and made everything come out as it was supposed to. His timing is always so much better than mine, I don't know why I spend any time worrying, but I do. This evening we gathered at the home of the gentleman we remembered today. Mostly family, and my wife and I. The food was excellent and the fellowship fine. Around 7:00 I was exploring the workshop where Jack did his relaxation with a host of woodworking tools. In the lathe there is a bowl that he was working on. As I examined the piece that is near completion one of his great grandsons came out to talk with me. He was very curious about me and opened our conversation with, "You're an indian, aren't you?" That always leaves me in a really good mood so I entertained the 11 year old lad. Soon we were talking about the various tools and how they functioned in the shop. Jack was 83 years old and his shop is a vast storeroom of history when it comes to tools. Andrew and I talked of his home in San Diego and of his school, and a lot about what his great grand dad did out in the shop. What struck me most deeply was that here I was with a lad that hardly knew Jack at all, but he was drawn to asking question after question about the "things" Jack did. We had about 20 minutes out there together, and it was me that came away with the greater blessing. The unfinished bowl made a statement that I will not forget. None of us knows when or how we are going to pass from this life(that would be scary)but we have to realize at some point that we are going to leave some stuff unfinished. Some of those things will be trivial matters, but some of them will be of immense importance to someone close to us. Several times these past few days with the family I have heard mention of concern over the state of Jack's soul, which I have no doubts about myself. He is with our Lord tonight. The things that were really important Jack took care of very well. The bowl may get finished by someone else, but there are decisions that only you and I can make. Things which we can only do ourselves, and it is best we don't put them off until it is too late. Therefore, it is really important that we let the people we love know that we love them. Finish the things as much as possible that someone else can't do. Leave this world with a sense of peace concerning your passing. I need every day to make sure that I haven't neglected to share my faith with anyone who is in need of assurance and forgiveness. I suppose compared to these thoughts the bowl becomes less significant, but only if another does not take up the tools to complete the work we have begun. That's how our faith works! God teaches us so that we may teach others. That's how it has been for 2000 plus years living in the light of our Savior, Christ. God bless, Preacher. 

Food, Family, Friends

They needn't be in the order I placed them tonight in the title, but these are very important elements when healing loss of a personal nature. On our recent journey to the south we encountered a family owned restaurant where the bread is so good it has to be tasted to be believed. Fun the like of which I haven't had in an eating establishment for a long time is the daily fare of the world's one and only(there are three of them now)bun tossing emporiums. Lamberts is a total experience in down home(southern)style hospitality and quisine. It is not the same without great company to enjoy it with, though. Life is also like that, we need to share it with others in causal ways, and intimate ways. Everything from the "best" friends ever to the dearly loved family cannot compare to the love God desires for us to share. I like the sign that tells of "drinking" as an important part of life. I suppose a few years ago I would have seen this as an affirmation of one of my afflictions. Today I see it with a grin and have to laugh when recalling the experiences I've had as a result of drinking the wrong beverages. I still like the thought, but for me it is presently on my "don't do" list. I joined tonight with a family of folks for whom I'll be working a memorial service for tomorrow. Too many reflections to pull together tonight, maybe it has something to do with the number of times I've been down this particular road. Here is a brief assurance....God's healing presence is to be found in the three elements I've chosen for the title. Some of us open quickly to these elements, others hold back until they have to partake of the comfort offered. To each of us it means something different to share this deeply personal journey of grief. If you happen to be a praying person do me a favor tonight, pray for the widows who have lived long and loved well. In the midst of the family, friends, and of course, food, there is an age old battle taking place that will determine life or death for those who continue on. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Bloomings In The Spirit

My wife, Cheryl, calls them "Christmas Cactus." I think we have a white one, too, but it wasn't around in the house when I was taking pictures today. Strange thing about these plants, they only seem to bloom a couple times every year. Neat colors, and not much of a problem to take care of, but they do make an impact on me. Some places where people keep them they refer to these cactus plants as "Easter Cactus, too! That's the thing that impresses me most about them. Like many people I know, they only bloom a few times a year, and then only for a very short while. Christmas and Easter are the times of the year when a lot of the "membership" comes to worship! Most of the year they are out there somewhere doing something, but during these two seasons they feel oddly compelled to visit the rest of us that are there every Sunday! I've only been at 1st B for a few years, but(Thank God)it isn't like some of the churches I've served. When the number of members is up in the hundreds the ranks in attendance twice a year swell greatly. I've never really understood this phenomena. Like the plant, we have these(may I call them "bloomers")who come to visit and are really quite offended if the pastor does not know them. One Sunday a lot of years ago when I was much younger I remember greeting "visitors" warmly during the announcement portion of the Sunday service only to find out later that they were members! I suppose I offended them a great deal! But I'm running in the wrong direction, again. You see, God doesn't have a score card. He is not keeping track of how often you get yourself up on Sunday and go to church(He really doesn't care what you wear when you come, either). What God cares about is us! So much so that He sent His only Son to make the ultimate sacrifice to redeem His people forever. God cares about us all the time, not just when we're sitting in a sanctuary pretending to be deeply(that isn't fair, I know a lot of folks really aren't sleeping)moved by all that is going on. Much of what we do on Sunday mornings is simply a reminder of God's care and provision for each of us. Like the cactus many of us may not bloom but a few times a year, it's up to the rest of us "buds" to be ready to share their colors and their beauty whenever they enter into our immediate surroundings. Tend them and fertilize as needed and pray that they are growing strong and healthy. I guess we're here to help one another grow, and in so doing, we grow, also! It's a beautiful thing to watch the blooms appear, I pray you are watching for them and enjoying them. Maybe they can be encouraged to share their beauty more often, but then, people aren't flowers. Or are they? My Bible does refer to my Savior as the "Rose of Sharon." Maybe there is a corralation here. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Repot, Repot, The End Is Near!

This picture has nothing to do with tonight's blog!!! I just put it out here for my wife so she can see what the inside of my head looks like sometimes. She knows what it's like to live with me, but seeing is believing. This is just a weird stage of growth, kind of like this plant that needs a larger pot. Preacher.