Geez It's Cold!!!

January 14, 2007

Saturday morning arrived with a "Norwester" close on it's heels. Winds picked up speed across the flat plain creating windchills that now have us at minus 40 degrees.
I've put together a "leanto" for the ducks and placed their water dish out of the wind. It's anyone's guess if they will take advantage of the shelter, personally I don't think they have the sense God gave a goose! I will try to encourage them to use the shelter with bribes of food, but I'm still uncertain as to whether or not they will take the hint.
As for our new shelter, work has concluded for this week with the completion of the siding and the final pouring of concrete. The interior will take shape this coming week when we set the interior walls and begin the process of wiring the whole place. Now, if I had the sense God gave a goose I would tuck my tail in and stay our of the weather until this cold spell ceases. Unfortunately I too have a lack of sense so very soon I will be venturing out on the roads(severe weather report has it that open areas are experiencing a lack of visibility due to blowing snow-winds hitting 35 mph)to do the business of the day. It's getting to the point where I want to set up an on site office and a cot where I can sack out on an "as needed" basis. I could have one of my 'puters out there and a comfy little area to work from until the move is completed in June or July. We have to be done by then because the Sturgis Reunion\Blackhills Motorcycle Rally takes place the first full week of August. Not that we are at a loss for souls to save around here, it's just that we have better odds 400 miles east during the rally. Close to a million people will pass through the event and only about(this is just an estimate based on 19 years of experience)15% are truly saved individuals. That is always an exciting time! I give thanks to God that we have this project under way. This old bed & breakfast will become a stopping place for Christian Musicians and Evangelists from all across the USA. That is the dream that Cheryl and I are entertaining. A beautiful dream it is!
One of our bits and pieces of dream has to do with that huge front porch and turning said porch into a fully functional bandstand from which to share our gifts and graces in music, song, and witness. I can see it now with brothers and sisters from all over coming together to share their faith with anyone wishing to listen. Ah, well, that is a ways off as yet. We must never lose faith in our dreams no matter how much cold water is thrown in their direction by others. That's why we refer to it as faith! When I think about it I guess I can think of no more powerful force anywhere than that simple single syllable word, "Faith." In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away From Us?

January 14, 2007

It seems to me that time is moving much faster than it usually does. I know for certain it is not because of the shortness of our daytime hours, it is the result of an all-consuming desire to complete the project. I wandered far astray in the process, but seem to be back on track the past ten days. Praise the Lord! It is good to be getting back to some semblance of order and regularity. I'm certain that as the days continue to lengthen I'll be doing better at every turn. It doesn't help to get rejection slips. I should look at those as one step closer to an acceptance. Now that is a truly positive attitude which I am often guilty of not maintaining.
Relating this to faith in our lives I would be of the opinion that these feelings are not unlike those everyone has from time to time. We are the hardest on ourselves, and we become our own worst enemy. There have been days when I have thought that this must be one of those times of testing such as I have encountered in the Bible. I do not discount that it could be, but I think It's more a matter of me learning how to cope with my mental meanderings. I have discovered that with the help of this 'puter I tap messages out on and store music, pictures, etc. on, that there were the right tools for the drawing and layout difficulties I've experienced with the construction.
I really enjoyed putting together the interior wall plan with all of the templates and itty bitty appliances and cabinets, not to mention the chairs and tables. What a hoot! This was an entire world I never dreamed existed. God never presents us with a question for which the answer is not discernible. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Happy New Year-----2008

January 14, 2007

Three Generations(without the puppy)Wishing Everyone The Very Best For The Coming Year! In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Male Empathy

January 14, 2007

Sundays do get busy. This was "Christ The King Sunday" for many church goers. For others it is the Sunday which precedes the "First Sunday in Advent." All good things to keep track of for future reference when one wonders what the organized denominations are up to as they approach Christmas in a nation that no longer is willing to accept us calling it a "Christian" holiday. I've also seen blurps our here about why we don't have a similar Muslim tradition....duh...are you blond? That is not where I was headed this evening and I have digressed. My apologies. Thanksgiving we were with friends and family at a gala celebration. The home,I've been informed, is about 8,000 square feet and absolutely fantastic! The food(3 Turkeys and one huge ham)plus side dishes of every imaginable construct was perfect and more than enough for the 30-40 folks gathered. we shared gifts and talents throughout the evening and best of all there was a brand new(2 month old)baby in our midst. Her first trip to the Thanksgiving festivities. In the midst of it all as I prayed for the food and the folks(including our service men and women and their families)I was reminded once again of how very gracious God has been to me, personally. The land that I was born in, the place I grew up, the people that I share everyday life with, and our God who has created it all. The only word I can use to describe the feeling is "Blessed" beyond belief. I pray your Thanksgiving was a good one and that Christmas this year will be even better. Know that you are loved and that the only distance between us and hope is between our knees and the floor. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

We Move In About Nine Hours

January 14, 2007

This morning I watched as the sun lit up the windows on this grand old gal. It almost appeared at times as though the lights were on and the day was starting in the dining room. We've had some difficulties getting ready to move, but I believe in my heart of hearts that they will soon come to an end. You see, we are now vested in one another. Had nothing ever changed in her demeanor the Beale House would have remained on the historical registry and immovable. Now, however, she has become a homeless home, and we who have lived next to her for a lot of years have grown to respect and love that house. Clara Beale was famous for hosting folks in her home, and I do believe that she would be really happy with what we are trying to accomplish. So many portions of the interior still reflect her grace and charm. For better or worse we are committed to the attempt to restore, refurbish, and reflourish in the shadow of this ediface to posterity. Perhaps one day it will all be settled and done. That is doubtful, as if anything I've ever done is "finished" completely. As I look back at the tappings I've done it appears that the correction thingy thinks I'm mispelling more than is usual. That is because I'm sharing and I'm not all that concerned with the form if it conveys the essence of meaning. I said once before in this blog that I would try not to write so much about the "project," as I now refer to it, but I find that I cannot do that. Much is to be done, and it may never end, and for that I am thankful. As we transition from land lines for communication to wireless the next few days I am reminded of how far we have come, and how far we have to go. I don't like change, you see, so the easiest thing to do is switch over to all wireless now and live with it until I move. Then at least one facet of my life will remain as I know it. What a deal! Cheryl is slumbering peacefully at this moment, the temp outside is 28, and in my office it is 38. I like those 10 degrees. Snickers was out a while ago to let me know that he needed to go out in the cold. For him that is better than a scolding in the morning. Other than that all is right in my world and I pray it is well with yours, also. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Up, Up, And Away!!!

January 14, 2007

You will have to excuse the pun, but this is funny. I haven't got the hang of how to get all the pieces back in place on my blog so all of the stuff that is supposed to be on the side is way, way down at the bottom.
The garage is up! That is so cool! We've been waiting, and waiting, and then waiting....remember what I said about God's timing vs mine? Tomorrow morning(or so I have been informed)the pieces will go to their new places. Now, here is the funniest part of the day....The garage is being set on a "proper" foundation(meaning done the right way)and with all of the contractors, builders, and experts we have working on this project(tape measure out the ying yang and clipboards filled with notes)nobody but me tumbled(Only This Morning)to the fact that the doors are not going to close to the concrete. I didn't figure that out until I saw the structure up in the air and visualized it being set down. That is when I said to myself, "Self, this isn't going to work!" I'm still chuckling over this one. I will also remind you that I have mentioned that God has a wonderful sense of humor: After all did he not create us? It's good to laugh about the circumstances that life places each of us in, although there are many that are not funny. In the face of insurmountable adversity we have very few choices, we can laugh or cry; hurl epitaphs at the heavens; or choose as I did this morning, get down on our knees and give thanks and pray for the outcome.
The sun has begun to peek through the overcast skies on the Great American Desert. This is a good thing! I can now see both of the structures that will move tomorrow at 8 am. My first thought is....Don't they look nice with both of their sides facing the same direction, it is almost as though God has a plan. And I know He does, I just wish He would give me a burning bush every once in a while to talk to. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

How Time Gets Away From Me

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January 14, 2007

It seems we went on celebrating my B'Day for awhile....in the midst of that work continued and I was there to witness the floor of our new kitchen being polished off. It is getting mighty cold out here on the Great American Desert, but I can't complain, it's way better than some years. The concrete has had time to cure and we should be setting all the little blocks in place very soon. It would seem that I have been in the process of doing that for a lot of years. Everything from square blocks and tinkertoys to lincoln logs and plastic bricks. I pray that this is the last time I'll be moving, but only God knows for certain. The best part of the whole situation is that I have had a wee bit of time to consider what we are engaged in and reconsider the time it is going to take to accomplish all of the tasks. I think I get antsy about progress and God just has to pull a few pins out from under me to bring about a slow up. You see, it does not have a lot to do with what we as people plan, it only sees fruition by the Grace of God. And that folks is how I live and manage to keep on going. I know that in all of the setbacks and errors that have occurred there is a purpose, a design, if you will, to this project. I don't mean the design that I've put down on paper in my humaness but a greater design. We have had folks drop out of the project, put us off for weeks, just not show up to do what they said they would do, and then, following our prayers and in answer to them others have shown up to take over the work. We receive them gladly, and the new relationships that have formed as a result will endure. We've shed tears of joy and sadness in the midst of all that is going on, and for ten days I lost track of time as I scurried about being worried about the stuff(as if by worry I could change anything)and learned in the process, once again, that God's timing is perfect and mine stinks. So, tonight I am thankful that some of the time got away(I could have done without the week of rain early on in the process, but that's life). I really needed it for other things. It may also be that through this ordeal of expectation I am growing a stronger relationship with my wife. That is a blessing! She is sleeping sweetly and soundly at this moment, and I have got to get out of this office. It's unheated out here, and the temp is down to about 40 degrees. I pray your life is going well. In Christ's Love, Preacher.