Friday, December 10, 2010

Do you have time for Christmas?

Suzanne and I have made the comment that it would be nice to have at least a foot dusting of snow.  Most people around here would prefer the dryness that we have had so far:)  There is something about snow that feels like Christmas.  Here is the funny thing.  Those who don't want snow are probably more right in their ideas.  It is doubtful that there was much snow on that first Christmas Advent.
Oh well!  The real questions should be whether we have time for Christmas.  And what really is Christmas, anyway?  Is it a holiday in December?  Is it a day off from work?  Is it a time to get together with family and eat a ton of food and exchange presents?  Is it a time to give money to charities (like MCC or the Heifer project or Crisis pregnancy centers) instead of buying that latest gizmo for our loved one?  Is it a time for singing carols?  Is it a time to exercise that family tradition?
Actually all the above can help us celebrate Christmas.  But they can also stress us out and keep us from observing the Christ, the Messiah, come to earth, God with us.
Take a moment.  Take another one.  Can you spare another one?

Monday, November 29, 2010

Its gonna be a...

Just in case you hadn't heard.  Early next year, we'll have 4.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Rain

Last night we got some rain!  It was beautiful to watch.  We have been quite dry this harvest season, for instance here are the rain falls for the last two months:
09/15/10 0.24
09/21/10 0.25
09/24/10 0.59
09/25/10 0.10
10/25/10 0.25
Then, it rained last night.  I haven't seen how much yet.  It continues to drizzle this morning.

I was up on  the roof last night cleaning out the gutters from all the leaves.  I put them in a bucket on a rope, then dropped the bucket down to Courtney.  She put them in a bag... most of the time:)  I think the last three buckets ended up on the ground, due to the wind and Courtney "accidently" spilling it... then "accidently" throwing the dumped pile into the air.  Which then blew into our neighbors yard:)  Sorry, Gary and Deb:)
Enjoying these memories!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

AVDS HC

This weekend we were in Hesston, KS for the Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series.  This years conference was 3-D Jesus; trying to embrace the whole Jesus, rather than just the parts that we like or resonate with.  The speakers did a great job of teaching and challenging for growth.  The Sunday morning service at Hesston Mennonite Church was a great summary of the weekend by Megan Good.  (Go to HMC's media page on their site and scroll down to sermon videos.  You may need to hit previous till you find the October 31 service.)  The service challenged us to action and created spaces for us to encounter Jesus and be transformed.  Here is another article with good summation.  Way to go Rachel from Shickley!

One thing I found important to take away, which I will state in a couple different ways:
Balance moral challenge and spiritual transformation.
Balance the horizontal and vertical pieces of the cross.
Balance relationship with others and relationship with Jesus.
Balance ethical learning and opportunities to encounter Jesus.

Here is a friend of mine's blog on another session at AVDS:
Pastor Dave's Doodles: Good Quote: "I attended the AVDS Conference in Hesston, Kansas this weekend. I heard this quote: 'You can't really know or experience God's forgiveness u..."

Monday, October 18, 2010

12:45pm inclusio (Ask Michelle Hershberger what an inclusio is)

12:45pm 30 minutes into a 45 minute drive I heard a noise.  Flat tire on van.  15 minutes later we are driving on a donut to complete our trip.  Thankful for safety.  Good doctors visit.  45 minute return trip becomes 60 on donut.  Thankful to arrive home.  Jump in car to go 10 minutes to pick up Emberlynn.  Got her and return trip turns into infinity.  Never made it home.  Belt pulley disintegrated.  Called Suzanne who is walking to pick up Courtney and Alyssa from school.  Tell her that she will need to find another vehicle if she still wants to take Alyssa to piano 25 minutes away.  And could she come pick up Emberlynn and I, 2 minutes from home.  Her first call finds a willing friend and car.  My first call finds a willing friend and a tow.  Now I am at home.  Suzanne is trying to not break down our third car for the day.  The funny thing is... I have been laughing a lot since 12:45pm.

Weather

For those of you out-of-state, the weather here in Nebraska has been absolutely amazing the last several weeks.  It has been dry and mild.  The farmers have had either a great harvest, or have had a great start, well ahead of last year.  We continue to pray for safety as they harvest, and success as they reap, store, dry, sell, transport; and prepare the land for next year.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

What's the order?




Per his usual stellar self, Pastor Dave Miller from Bellwood Mennonite Church in Milford, NE scores a touchdown, or plants a seed, or loves us like a father, or calls us to respond.  I wish I could have written it myself.  Click the link below, it's not what you may be thinking:)
And Go Huskers!

Pastor Dave's Doodles: The four "F" words: "Now that I have your attention, let me explain what I mean. Suppose an alien were to visit Milford (or any Midwest town). Suppose this vis..."

Monday, September 27, 2010

Pursuing wealth

Yesterday's sermon was a hard one for me.  And it was hard for those who heard it.  When we allow God's Word to evaluate our hearts we find:
hardness, deceit, misplaced love, wrong motives, self-righteousness, mediocrity, sin, treachery, selfishness,...  and that's just my list:(
We should do this more often.
As I was reading the following article this morning, it reminded me of the sermon and how so much of entertainment pulls our hearts to wrong desires, and to be discontent.
http://www.daveramsey.com/newsletters/online/edition/personal-finance-newsletter-092710?ectid=cnl1010.final_11#bighouse
One of the dangers of a "wholesome" cable channel like HGTV, is that it's really just one big commercial all day long.  A constant diet of home improvements, house hunters, redecorating, etc. breeds discontent with what we have; it calls us to finer living, when our hearts should be called to "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness"  (see 1 Timothy 6:11)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Pain

A couple days ago I was doing an exercise called a "Sumo Deadlift High Pull" (Disclaimer: That is not me in the video).  Evidently my form was poor and I was trying to muscle up the weight with my lower back, instead of letting the momentum of my hips snap the weight to my chin.  Now I have a sore lower back.
  Nothing that restricts movement, but I know it's there and it hurts a little.  I have found relief in keeping the muscles warmed up, and gently stretching all the connected muscles (calves, hamstrings, glutes, trapezoid, rhomboids, latisimus dorsi, etc.)  I also have noticed more relief when I sit and move with a neutral alignment.

Why am I telling you this?  I'm really not a complainer, and I don't want your sympathy, and I shy away from sharing what I do for exercise.  What this is really about is an analogy for our lives.  Sometimes we try to muscle up the good works and get things down on our own power.  Sometimes we are even successful at it.  But it will catch us, when we are tired or lazy and it is going to hurt.  When it does, the cure is to step back, rest, take a lighter load while we work on the details of the movement.  Then we practice supporting movements (Spiritual practices) that realign the framework and move us back into a healthy state where we can run the race, carry the load, and throw off the sin that so easily entangles us.  Finally, when we once again encounter the movement that set us back, we trust Jesus to complete the work that he began in us to completion.  This is Jesus' movement; we join him in carrying the momentum that he has already begun.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Addition, and there was much rejoicing:)

Suzanne, and 3 little girls, left a couple hours ago and drove to Salina, KS.  When she returned there were 6...
Hmm...
This doubling of the girls will last from now until Monday sometime.  It's gonna be a hoot!