Coming to the Still Waters

     I remember as a kid bringing in the new year by firing off the shotguns.  So this day I spent with my son-in-law and son firing off some of our guns.  Needless to say, I now remember why I don't shoot the 8mm too much.  If I don't shake your hand or give you a hug on Sunday, don't hold it against me, I just can't move my right arm very well right now and I am sure it will be even worse in the morning.  We sure did go through some gun powder today.      Pure and uncontrolled laughter is such a good thing.  I don't think I allow myself to do this enough.  Even though I know that happiness is not the same as joy,(happiness is more the moment and joy is a state), happiness is found in joyful people.  It is a by-produce of joyful people like smiles and uplifted voices.  So how much I find myself laughing and happy could be an indicator of how joyful I really am.  I do need to laugh more.      I am not big on new year resolutions because I feel the Bible alread

     Today I am thankful for my father and the lesson and practice of hard work.  Over the years I have had the opportunity and necessity to use my hands and feet and back to get the job done.  My father was a janitor for 23 years and our school vacations were spent at the school painting and cleaning floors.  We didn't get paid for this but I think we really did because of what training I received during that time.  Dad whistled while he worked and there was always a spring in his step and satisfaction was getting the job done.  I am thankful for a positive role model that gave me such an outlook at whatever task is in front of me.  I hope I have done the same for my children.  Thanks Dad. Adam

     Today was a day to do some extra cleaning at the job that my wife has.  I can't help but think about all the times that I have thought about how much I love just being with her.  It doesn't matter if we are in a room together reading or cleaning floors and toilets, I would rather be with her than by myself.  I am so fortunate to have the mate I have and therefore I will do whatever it takes to build upon what we have.      I have been looking back over this year and at the sermons I have delivered.  Some of my highlights are these:  the men's retreat and the illustration of the crack in the wall; the marriage series and the point or vow to always pursue my two; the series on giving, especially looking at our own personal finances and realizing they are not ours; and then the latest series on Christmas and asking the question if God's word is enough.  And to think that was just the fall.  I don't think people realize how much I am feeding myself when I stand

     Okay, so I am frozen to the bone.  I haven't went ice fishing since last year and that was only a couple hours so today's marathon at Thumb Lake and Lake Dixon has me as near to the wood stove that I can get.  Just some little perch today but it was a great time to spend with my son-in-law.        My study of James started this morning and I am always amazed at what I have missed before.  Just looking at the whole authorship issue and how the Bible can so simply answer the question rather than just looking to someone's opinion or searching out what the latest commentary says.  It is so important to make the Bible the first book of your life.      I see James' transformation because of his acceptance of who Jesus is.  He goes from being a step-brother who criticizes Jesus at times to now a servant (doulos) - slave by choice of his Savior, Jesus Christ.  That transformation puts him in the position of the leader of the Christian church in Jerusalem.  Wow, what

     Our firstborn is coming home today with her husband and we are so happy.  It is amazing to watch other parents with their firstborns and then watch them when another came along and another.  We were the same way.  That first one is no more special than the rest but they have a place only they can fill.  Maybe we spend so much time and attention with them because they will need it in the future.      Our firstborn is quite the girl.  It is funny how I go back to pigtails and soccer games and "Daddy, look at this!" when I think of her even though she is so beyond that.  I describe her as paving the way for the others by being a blessing and glorifying her God.  We always say that we want better for our children than we have had and my wife and I try to make sure that doesn't just mean physically but also spiritually.      We can't make those spiritual decisions for our children but we sure can set the atmosphere in the home and with our practices within the c

     I am sure that this will probably be a staple for the Sunday blog.  After a month looking at the birth of the Christ, I am ready to move on to why He came. We introduced "You'll Come" this morning and I was so thankful for the second time through.   "Surely as the sun will rise, You'll come to us, certain as the dawn appears."   Could I say more surely than the sun rising and more certain than the dawn appears that our Lord will come?  I put so much faith in the physical world.  What about so much faith in the Creator of the physical world that I have faith in?      Holiday Sundays take our church family to different parishes. It makes me so long for the next Sunday when our church family is as whole as it can be on any Sunday.  I am so thankful that our relationship with Jesus is so personal and at the same time is so relational with others.  I daily meet with the Lord but I so look forward to those community times that we meet with Him together.  

     I have always had a lot of thoughts but many of them have never made it to the computer or to paper so let's see if I can get some of them there.  I am a hunter by nature and so when the internet made its way into our lives, I had some new land to cover.  I enjoy researching just about anything and I'm always showing someone what I found on the web or directing them to a link so maybe this will be a good outlet for me.  I am not sure how many people will actually read this but to those who do, I hope it will be entertaining.  I think I will probably only put a link on the church website for now.      I called it Pole Barn Thoughts because that is my space.  I don't think anyone else has been in the pole barn for a long time except Jason to pull out the snowmobile.  It's my domain and when I'm out there I'm always doing something and at the same time thinking and talking to God.  I have completed a lot of sermons in my mind in the pole barn while stacking