It's Christ'mas Time!

Wow, this is quickly becoming my favorite time of the year (second only to Iraq homecomings) ...

I love this time of year, the time when we all get to reflect on that which matters most. Don't get me wrong, I can get "caught up" in the frazzle dazzle of it all as well; just as long and it doesn't "change" my line of sight ... we are ok!

First and foremost it is a time for a long good look and meditation on the greatest gift anyone could have ever thought to give ... The Life; in exchange for eternal life! Wow, what more can one ask? Everything else becomes secondary to that and vanity as wise old Solomon said.


But having said that, this for me is the time of year when I make the time to sit down and reflect on those we love. It is the one time I go "all out" and reach out to everyone. I take the time to send out a Christmas greeting ... not out of obligation but out of desire.

Being "travelers with the service" your list of friends and acquaintances can really grow! I believe I sent out close to 85 plus greetings this year! All joy however.

Our lives can get so "busy and full" with everyday stuff that we do not always make time for even a simple hello.

Sending out those cards is my way of telling everyone "hey, I may not call or see you on a regular basis; but you are on my mind!"

Letting those we care about know that they are "thought of" is a simple but much (I am sure) appreciated gesture.


So even if I can't find the time for hour long calls know that you are all thought of.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Colorado, How I Love Thee ... Let me count the ways

I have to confess that of all the places (which really aren't many) this life has taken us, Colorado by far excels them all.

We love to hike and be outdoors in general, although we don't get to do it as often as we'd like.

This was one of those weekends though ... we siezed the day and headed for the hills. God is great, all the time! All the time ... God is great!

God Is Great!

It has been a long hard road. My Mom has a little saying; "only he carrying the pack, knows the weight thereof."
And what a weight it has been at times.
My beloved has been gone all of eleven months now, almost hard to believe. This being his third tour we are no strangers to separation. But I have to admit that this has been the longest and the hardest by far.
Life has not been without its share of challenges yet I am amazed (even though our great Lord says we shouldn't be) by God's comfort and grace though it all.
The Lord has blessed me with two wonderful boys. They have been my strength and comfort through it all while living it. God sustaines us, but they have been my ministering comfort.
They miss their father, sure; but they have such a resolve about his purpose for this family and what he is doing out there.
Time and time again I have cried unto the Lord and He has heard my plea. He is my one constant in this ever changing emotional roller coaster of a ride.

Truly, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" has been my comforting verse in this journey.

Is it over? not just yet. Much longer? not really given what we have already "endured." How will we manage? "Casting all your cares upon him for he careth for you." And being able to do ALL things through Christ, which strengthen me.

Glory, I'm Saved!

Missing you more ...

Answer to Prayer

It has been some time now since I have written, I do miss writing. I want to share with you all an answer to prayer.

Last year my boys were "offered" potential ownership to a playhouse. When the possibility was first mentioned my boys became ecstatic! They "nagged" my ears off for weeks on end to diligently continue to inquire. I said to them that if this was meant for them, they would have to commit it to prayer.

Time passed and we never did hear back. Needless to say my boys were still anxious at the possible thought of this becoming a reality for them. When I called to inquire about the house, the folks had moved away. My boys were now on the brink of discouragement. I told them to keep praying.

A few weeks later I received a phone call out of the blue and guess who it was? The folks called to say that they had left hurriedly after selling the house and closing in a matter of days. No time to call an make final arrangements for the playhouse. Upon ending our unexpected conversation they did mention to me that the house had been left behind and that the new owners had no children to speak of.

Well, I told my boys again to continue praying! It has now been 10 months (about 2 years in kids time) and guess where that old house is now sitting? You guessed it, our back yard.

The Lord answered our prayer!

We sought out the new owners and prayed that they would not think us stalkers or beggars. The lady of the house was really nice, upon our request she kindly said that we could have the house (free of charge)! Three months went by before we could actually transport it due to the cold and snowy weather. But God is faithful! Our Pastor and several men from the church provided the labor. We rented a flat bed and a few huffs and puffs later here it was.

The look on the boys faces when it was finally here and set up was priceless. I told them that God had answered their prayer in getting them this house as we would never fork out the $1,200 it would cost to buy one new! The house came with a climbing wall, lunch table, slide, swings and a monkey bar (we opted not to set up the swings as they took up so much space). A set up of this kind is very pricey so you can imagine just how much of a blessing we count it.

That same week my boys were also offered a brand new basket ball court! Amen! The brother that offered it even helped us set it in the ground.

This is just a testament to how great God is! Even though these are just material things, in the absence of their father it brings my boys great joy. And isn't it wonderful to know that our God cares about these two little ones and their joy?

God is faithful and wants to hear and answer even the smallest of prayers and desires.

Our prayer is that you are in His will. Have you trusted Christ as your Savior? He wants to answer even your smallest of desires when you accept His free gift of grace and claim Him as your Savior.

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:10

Christian Love

Christian Love
IT speaks in Galatians about love, the fruit of the Spirit being love, joy, peace, gentleness, long suffering, meekness and temperance. The way this writer has put it -- and I think it is very beautiful -- is that joy is love exultant, peace is love in repose, and long suffering is love enduring. It is all love, you see, a gentleness is love in society, and goodness is love in action, and faith is love on the battle-field, and meekness is love at school, and temperance is love in training.Now there are a great many that have got love and they hold the truth. I should have said they have got truth, but they don't hold it in love, and they are very unsuccessful in working for God. They are very harsh, and God cannot use them. Now let us hold the truth, but let us hold it in love. People will stand almost any kind of plain talk if you only do it in love. If you do it in harshness it bounds back and they won't receive it. So what we want is to have the truth and at the same time hold it in love.Then there is another class of people in the world that have got the truth, but they love so much that they give up the truth because they are afraid it will hurt some one's feelings. That is wrong. We want the whole truth anyway. We don't want to give it up, but hold it in love, and I believe one reason why people think God don't love them is because they have not this love. Now God is just what He says He is, and He wants His children to be sincere in love; not to love just merely in word and in tongue, but to love in earnest. -That is what God does. You ask me why God loves. You might as well ask me why the sun shines. It can't help shining, and neither can He help loving, because He is love Himself; and any one that says He is not love does not know anything about love. If we have got the true love of God shed abroad in our hearts we will show it in our lives. We will not have to go up and down the earth proclaiming it. We will show it in everything we say or do.

~truncated and expunged from "Christian Love" by D.L. Moody

A Place to Worship

What is the Church?

Church is not the building nor an ecclesiastical hierarchy.

The Church is a local called out body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ that assemble together to worship. We come together weekly to praise Him, worship Him, teach of Him, to inspire or move one another to a closer walk with Him, to win the lost and to nourish our souls.

So many in this day and age, neglect the church! They believe that they can just as easily worship God in their homes or in the mountains or any other such place as their hearts desire. How sadly mistaken these folks are.

I don't know about you; but if my beloved told me that he loved me and then chose to only dedicate one hour a week to me or one weekend a month, I would not believe his to be "true love."

How can someone say they love the Lord and neglect His home? How can they neglect the nourishing of their souls, minds, & hearts and the sweet fellowship with the "saints?"

You take time everyday to care for your God give temple; you wash it, groom it, feed it and indulge it. Yet in all this where is your time given to God.

Knowing "of" God and "having" God in your life are two very distinct concepts.

Having God as a part of your daily life means nourishing and attending to that relationship just as you would any other. It is a daily walk.

You don't expect your kids or your spouse to just wave to you in the morning and then not hear from them till the next, do you?

Why do so many treat their relationship with God as such. God to many is a God of "need." They feel that if their is something beyond their control, then they "call" on God to meet that need. If everything in their lives is otherwise honky dory, they neglect him.

God and Church have become secondary if at that. You would not neglect your beloved or your children or a relationship with a great friend, would you? Why then neglect God?

We were and are created to serve His purpose and pleasure.

May this year find everyone wanton ... wanton of a new and real relationship with Christ our Lord. May this year find "real-men" leading their homes in all things righteous. May wives be in submission to their husbands not "taking" the reigns of charge and belittling his God given role.

May this year find kids who look to their parents for influence, example and favor and not to their "peers."

I know that these are not popular beliefs. I know that most will "believe" that it is my right to my opinion; but my earnest desire is that someone would find truth in it for their lives.

Serving the Savior,

80