A Glimpse Of Glory

Sunlight crept slowly above the horizon as I sat sipping my morning coffee, Irish Creme, my personal favorite. I took note of the increasing light and with it came an astonishing surprise! Nature had clothed our world in a fresh, dazzling coat of frost. I observed in fascination the tree limbs coming alive as the morning mists dissipated. Suddenly I realized that I was losing the moment! I threw on a coat and headed toward the patio door with camera in hand. Stepping out I was greeted by chill, frosty air. Limbs that I had not finished cutting down were alive with a brilliance with which a million diamonds could not compete! I clicked the shutter over and over as the light glimmered and danced across the trees. Beautifully wrapped in ice crystals the limbs, both the ones that should have been cut away this past fall, and the ones that are vibrantly alive were glistening together. It seemed for a short time as though no outstretched vestige of folliage was immune to the encrusting beauty. So it is in our lives, no person is beyond the reach of the transforming love of God to be found in the gift of His Son. Not even ancient dead wood such as myself is able to resist that love once the heart has been touched. December 7th was transformed by nature's hoary breath into a sparkling celebration of God's perfect plan for our lives. I realized in an instant that the worthless dead limbs I had neglected to cut away were totally transformed. The ice knew no distinction between living and dead, only immersion. This brings me to tonight's thought. No life is so totally without value, so distraught, that it can't be transformed by our Creator through faith in His Son. Many of us are as utterly entangled in one another's lives as the overhanging branches of these trees, and yet God has chosen us in all of our stages of growth to offer the gift of being made "white as new fallen snow!" I pray your life has an opportunity to be recreated by the transforming and renewing grace of our Lord. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Clothed In Light

We know that when He returns to us that there will be a judgement of the living and the dead. God bless, Preacher.

Perfect Timing!

This is a two part blog because I could only upload 5 pictures on the first run through which is below. These were too good to leave out. God bless, Preacher.

Perfect Timing!

The day was planned! From 6 to 6 everything was going to run smoothly. After that the Christmas program would begin and I could sit back and relax and enjoy the music and the children's voices. This was to be the day of several "firsts" for me. I was to be the primary caregiver and preparer of my youngest grand daughter for the program. The dress was ready, the boots to go with it and everything else was good to go. The early morning hours we spent gathering the laundry and taking the phone calls as they came in. We had great snacks(last night I baked cookies for the fellowship time to follow the program). We ate a healthy lunch in between trips to the "laundry place"(that's what Kyra calls it)and the first two loads were in the dryer while she was being delivered to preschool. Everything was on time and going according to schedule. Sheets fluffed, bathtub ready for a 4 pm dunk for her while I would jump in the shower and clean up. The fuel gauge 'puter thing in the car said I had low mileage range so I paused to fill up at a station on the way home from picking her up at preschool. No problem there! I used a credit card and didn't even go inside. That's when the phone rang. Eldest grandson had detention and needed a ride. I called for reinforcements to keep the schedule happening(his school is 20 miles from us on the Great American Desert)and that was my first inkling that God was taking control of the day. I'm not always quick to accept such things when I've got a plan, but there was no choice. On the drive over Kyra napped, I called a few people and explained my situation(first was my wife). Needless to say, my plan was shot. Here we are at the end of the day and I'm busy thanking God for having a "better" plan than I had(I could never have gotten Kyra's hari to look so cute), and chiding myself for my immediate hesitancy to accept it. Cheryl took two hours vacation time and rushed home to assist in the getting ready. Matt had a wonderful array of snacks and pop while he paused before going to his youth gathering this evening. Kyra was beautifully ready, on time, and my nerves were as shot as my plan. I guess I should have known that it is far better to accept God's plan for the perfect day than to stubbornly insist on doing things my own way. I was better this time than I have been in the past, and I pray that in the future I'll have learned something very profitable from today's experience and keep it in mind the next time I think I've got everything down to "perfect timing." So often we have our thoughts on how things are supposed to go, and we really do get hard headed about it and make things a mess when we try to keep to our schedules. Today was not one of those times for me, and in the future, Lord, I'll be a better listener. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

South Dakota Sites

 
Yes, it's our home finished(somewhat)for Christmas. I suppose everyone has heard and seen pictures of the "Zip" undestruction in Sioux Falls, SD by now. The undemolished edifice that was once a feed mill has an uncertain future due to unforeseen difficulties encountered during a recent demolition effort. The cold weather also plays havoc with fireworks as evidenced by the recent mishap at St. Joseph's Cathedral. We're pressing 10 below zero outside as I write. It's a little early in the year for temperatures this low, but nothing that we have not experienced in the past. Nearly 6000 people are still without power according to one source. That's in an area 70 miles west of our location here on the Great American Desert. My only comment has to do with how catastrophe in rural areas never gets the coverage as disaster in populated sectors. That is the way of the world and it cannot be changed. We gathered for prayer at a friend's home this evening. Four generations gathered in a circle holding hands to pray for one another and for the lives of others. The gathering was the offshoot of a mini-celebration. The home's owners had just won first place in the annual Christmas Decorating contest. Life never ceases to amaze me! The interesting footnote to this evening has to do with prayer and how we accomplish that task. Our youngest was 2 and sound asleep. Our eldest was a bit more advanced in years. The important part for me was the sincere manner in which the 8 year old and 10 and 12 year olds shared the prayers as loudly as the older folks. I thank God tonight for the innocent way children show their trust in the unseen God. I thank that same Creator for listening intently to all of our prayers. I thank His Spirit for moving in our midst and keeping us mindful of the presence that transcends human experience. Most of all I give thanks tonight for the love we share and the care and concern we have for others whose names we need not know, just that they need our prayers. I pray you have many in your life who need your prayer and support. That may be the one deciding factor that separates the believers from those who are "members" of a church and little else. Belonging to a Body of Christ is a good thing, but it brings with it many responsibilities. Prayer is one of those responsibilities. Pray often, know to whom you wing your prayers, and pray them fervently. Our God who is in heaven knows us so well, and really does answer those prayers. Not always the way we might choose, but isn't that why we say, "according to Thy will, not ours?" In Christ's Love, Preacher. 

Seasons In Life

Schedules have been altered, life has once again transformed itself into a new and different state on the Great American Desert. My fondest wish tonight would be for that state to be Texas. West Texas, out near Monohans, the temperatures are in the 40s, brrrrr. I remember wondering when I lived there why people bought coats when it was so warm. Winter changes a lot of people's attitudes out here. With the first snow come the minor accidents around town where folks from one car jump out to push others stuck in drifts. People slow down for about 24 hours. The insidious honkings at anyone's incursion on driving space ceases for a few days until everyone should be used to the road conditions. After that if you are causing a difficulty for anyone you are considered stupid and unworthy of a driver's license. Notably the ambulance and police car sirens are back to normal, none tonight. That's a good thing! It means people are getting accustomed to the season we are now in. The season's of our lives on a day to day level have a way of catching up with us from time to time. For me that is one factor that takes a lot of getting used to. (Why on earth does the back have to ache after only a few hours of shoveling?) The biggest mental change is in going a little slower(I don't mean in the car, but that, too), allowing more time for things to be completed, and not being so much in a hurry. Perhaps another reason why we move slower is the taking of time to appreciate the beauty of our newly aquired winter wonderland. The trees are gorgeous draped in snow, and the morning air is filled with ice crystals once again. When the sun chooses to shine the world sparkles so brightly that sunglasses are once again needed for getting about. There are Sundays when God's Word shines so brightly that I feel as though I need some shades to really take it all in. Attendance was down this communion Sunday, but the brilliance of God's Spirit was so bright we hardly noticed the size of our gathering. People are like the seasons we experience in nature. We are all going through different portions of the timeline of life. I love the enthusiasm of the older sisters in our Body of Christ. Their optimism is contagious! Then there are the young mothers, the younger mothers, fathers of grands, greats and uncles to many we must take into account. Each individual at a different season in their own life, yet touched by the same words of scripture that direct us toward a life which is eternal and transforming. Snow won't worry us, neither will the heat of day. Maybe it's the living in Christ that makes even the chilliest of days wonderful! Or maybe it's just that God is already busy about the business of transforming our human nature as we progress through our seasons of life. Whatever the case I pray that this special season finds you blessed by the beauty and wonder of life that surrounds each of us. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Don't Get Buffaloed!

The pic of me out in Stugis astride the Harley "Buffalo" is from this past August. I suppose it's indicative of a mind set that is choosing to think back on warmer days rather than fully focus on the drifted snow that must be removed from our driveway when the sun comes up. The day Cheryl shot the photo I was sweaty, smelly, and totally immersed in the excitement of the possibilities for ministry the day held for the two of us. Our newest CD debuted on stage that evening at Camp Jericho with the Christian Crusaders and many of our friends in attendance. That seems like a long time ago and far away from the realities of today. Fans are wonderful people who place a level of trust in their favorite performers. They trust us to bring them musical messages of hope, faith, fun, and inspiration. The weekend approaches with more shifts in the schedule than time may permit. At least the double bookings are local. As long as I can get from campus to the open house without interference from the snow bound streets I'll be just fine. I suppose all of us know what it is like to thread that needle of time constraints. Our Lord walked that line often in His ministry. There were always fans that wanted more of what He was offering. Some times Christ would withdraw for a time to rebuild His energy level for the tasks that lay ahead. Often He would take His closest and most trusted fans with Him when He withdrew. During the passing of 2000 years my Savior has continued to have faithful fans throughout every age. I'm very proud to be one of His fans right now! I know He will not disappoint me in any way. He never does. No matter what it is that I am in need of, strength, time, patience, daily sustenance, He is there to provide. These days our fans ask a lot of us. Being "up" for the "gig" has never been easy, but knowing that there is one who has interceded for each of us can be our most powerful weapon when it comes to combatting the emmisaries of the enemy. Remember that old saying, "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer?" That holds true in all walks of life, extremely so when we walk in faith. It's okay for us to doubt ourselves as long as we never doubt our Savior. Know in whom you place your trust and let it never be shaken. In Christ's Love, Preacher.