Well, it has been a few weeks since I have blogged, but here's the run down on the many things I have been working on and thinking about:
1. The Arizona Missions Trip.
All the effort was well worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed spending the week with high school students. I was the driver for the "Girl Van"- (as opposed to the "Man Van"). I got quite an education into "girl world" from those young ladies. They didn't always realize that I was listening, and most of the time I wasn't, but it helped me understand a little bit about where my girls might be in a few years. I will be prepared! Not all of those girls are completely boy crazy, but the fellas were definitely the chief topic of conversation.
These girls are also very techno-savvy. It wasn't so long ago that technogadgets were solely the playground of guys. These girls were mostly very diligent workers and were delighted to be with and play with the kids at the Indian reservation. We did a lot of very hard, demanding, physical labor. Most of the guys seemed to jump right in and take the work in stride, but the girls had to work hard to work hard, and I was encouraged that for the most part, they did that.
I was impressed at the patience and Godly compassion that the couple (Gene & Sherry) had for the kids that they worked with every day on the Reservation. What an incredible example of shining the Light of the gospel in a dark world.
2. Dead Vans.
So after we wrecked our old Ford, the camp let us have the old Chevy van. That was great, but last Sunday, the motor blew, so we were back to square one. In just a few short days, I figured out that it would be crazy expensive to install a rebuilt motor. It seems like such a waste to junk a vehicle that otherwise works. It is difficult to make decisions about things that I know are going to fall apart at a later time anyway. I guess the choice is, do I put money into this vehicle that is going to fall apart soon, or do I put money into that vehicle that is going to fall apart later? Even Amish people who use horses know that their horse is going to die sometime.
So, I spent a little more money to buy a van that will fall apart later, and interestingly, as soon as my brother got the van and my parents went to go pick it up, he noticed that the radiator needs to be replaced. Oh well.
3. And Dead Computers
Our home computer died of multiple organ failure - I guess you could say the brain and the heart were fried. So, I need to figure out how much money to spend on a new computer that will fall apart and die later. (oh, and the camp office computer had a hard drive go south on us - hopefully that has been fixed.)
4. Big Government.
I just can't believe that the government has gone so crazy spending money. This is truly alarming, and I am encouraged by all the "Tea Parties" that are coming up on Tax Day. I am praying that our country will not descend into complete godlessness, led by the secular progressives who have the power of the country.
5. And Bad Government (Godless Government)
I had the great privilege of speaking at the Christian Campus House in Springfield last week. I was asked to talked about Micah chapters 4 & 5. In order to get the historical perspective, I studied the kings of Micah's time. Micah prophesied during the time of three kings of Judah - Joram, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Ahaz was a bad king who led his country into idolatry. He even shut up the temple of God and used the articles of the temple to set up altars to idols. Ahaz also called on the king of Assyria for help when he got in trouble, and it only brought more trouble, as the Assyrians soon put Jerusalem under seige.
I couldn't help but think about where our country is now - and I think that the obvious testimony of Scripture is, "as the leaders go, so goes the country." And when God's people are not led properly, God does not like that. In Micah 5, we see that God will raise up a leader - the Messiah, who will shepherd His people and give them peace and security. He himself will be our peace. If you are reading this, and you think that you can put your hope in our government to help you do anything, or to provide peace in the world, please remember the lessons of Scripture. I think that our countries leaders right now would appeal to the king of Assyria if we were under seige, instead of calling on God.
2 Timothy 2 says "avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly." Sound familiar?
6. It's getting down to Camp crunch time
I have been getting more busy as we get closer to camp. We are now less than two months away. I am scheduled at different churches every Sunday between now and June except for Easter and Mother's Day. I am humbled by the great numbers of people who love the camp and are excited to get their kids involved. I am wanting to do as much work as I can to encourage as many people as I can to come to camp. I am working on a working list of everything that needs to be done in the next two months. It is exciting, and I can't wait. I am praying earnestly for 2000 campers.
7. Our hope is in Heaven
Last night, I was studying 1 Thessalonians 4 with the kids - I love the simplicity of the explanation in this passage of what will happen when Christ comes again. Will all the crazy nonsense that is passed around about the return of Christ, I wish that people would simply read this passage and, as it says, "encourage one another with these words."
So, allow me to encourage you - Christ himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. The dead in Christ will rise first, and after that happens, the believers and followers in Christ who are alive will be caught up with the arisen dead in Christ, and we together will meet the Lord in the air.
So all the things that we worry about so much and that we put so much of our time and energy into will be completely worthless that day. (In fact, all that stuff is going to burn) The only thing that will really matter on that day is our love for our Lord and how many people we have led to that love.
8. With this post, I have beat my number of posts for all last year!
1. The Arizona Missions Trip.
All the effort was well worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed spending the week with high school students. I was the driver for the "Girl Van"- (as opposed to the "Man Van"). I got quite an education into "girl world" from those young ladies. They didn't always realize that I was listening, and most of the time I wasn't, but it helped me understand a little bit about where my girls might be in a few years. I will be prepared! Not all of those girls are completely boy crazy, but the fellas were definitely the chief topic of conversation.
These girls are also very techno-savvy. It wasn't so long ago that technogadgets were solely the playground of guys. These girls were mostly very diligent workers and were delighted to be with and play with the kids at the Indian reservation. We did a lot of very hard, demanding, physical labor. Most of the guys seemed to jump right in and take the work in stride, but the girls had to work hard to work hard, and I was encouraged that for the most part, they did that.
I was impressed at the patience and Godly compassion that the couple (Gene & Sherry) had for the kids that they worked with every day on the Reservation. What an incredible example of shining the Light of the gospel in a dark world.
2. Dead Vans.
So after we wrecked our old Ford, the camp let us have the old Chevy van. That was great, but last Sunday, the motor blew, so we were back to square one. In just a few short days, I figured out that it would be crazy expensive to install a rebuilt motor. It seems like such a waste to junk a vehicle that otherwise works. It is difficult to make decisions about things that I know are going to fall apart at a later time anyway. I guess the choice is, do I put money into this vehicle that is going to fall apart soon, or do I put money into that vehicle that is going to fall apart later? Even Amish people who use horses know that their horse is going to die sometime.
So, I spent a little more money to buy a van that will fall apart later, and interestingly, as soon as my brother got the van and my parents went to go pick it up, he noticed that the radiator needs to be replaced. Oh well.
3. And Dead Computers
Our home computer died of multiple organ failure - I guess you could say the brain and the heart were fried. So, I need to figure out how much money to spend on a new computer that will fall apart and die later. (oh, and the camp office computer had a hard drive go south on us - hopefully that has been fixed.)
4. Big Government.
I just can't believe that the government has gone so crazy spending money. This is truly alarming, and I am encouraged by all the "Tea Parties" that are coming up on Tax Day. I am praying that our country will not descend into complete godlessness, led by the secular progressives who have the power of the country.
5. And Bad Government (Godless Government)
I had the great privilege of speaking at the Christian Campus House in Springfield last week. I was asked to talked about Micah chapters 4 & 5. In order to get the historical perspective, I studied the kings of Micah's time. Micah prophesied during the time of three kings of Judah - Joram, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Ahaz was a bad king who led his country into idolatry. He even shut up the temple of God and used the articles of the temple to set up altars to idols. Ahaz also called on the king of Assyria for help when he got in trouble, and it only brought more trouble, as the Assyrians soon put Jerusalem under seige.
I couldn't help but think about where our country is now - and I think that the obvious testimony of Scripture is, "as the leaders go, so goes the country." And when God's people are not led properly, God does not like that. In Micah 5, we see that God will raise up a leader - the Messiah, who will shepherd His people and give them peace and security. He himself will be our peace. If you are reading this, and you think that you can put your hope in our government to help you do anything, or to provide peace in the world, please remember the lessons of Scripture. I think that our countries leaders right now would appeal to the king of Assyria if we were under seige, instead of calling on God.
2 Timothy 2 says "avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly." Sound familiar?
6. It's getting down to Camp crunch time
I have been getting more busy as we get closer to camp. We are now less than two months away. I am scheduled at different churches every Sunday between now and June except for Easter and Mother's Day. I am humbled by the great numbers of people who love the camp and are excited to get their kids involved. I am wanting to do as much work as I can to encourage as many people as I can to come to camp. I am working on a working list of everything that needs to be done in the next two months. It is exciting, and I can't wait. I am praying earnestly for 2000 campers.
7. Our hope is in Heaven
Last night, I was studying 1 Thessalonians 4 with the kids - I love the simplicity of the explanation in this passage of what will happen when Christ comes again. Will all the crazy nonsense that is passed around about the return of Christ, I wish that people would simply read this passage and, as it says, "encourage one another with these words."
So, allow me to encourage you - Christ himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. The dead in Christ will rise first, and after that happens, the believers and followers in Christ who are alive will be caught up with the arisen dead in Christ, and we together will meet the Lord in the air.
So all the things that we worry about so much and that we put so much of our time and energy into will be completely worthless that day. (In fact, all that stuff is going to burn) The only thing that will really matter on that day is our love for our Lord and how many people we have led to that love.
8. With this post, I have beat my number of posts for all last year!
1 comment:
5. And Bad Government (Godless Government)
Hello, I am curious to know when this blog entry was written? If written recently, I'm then curious to know when you've felt the country has gotten of track?
Thanks!
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