Coming to the Still Waters

Here is a couple quotes from a blog I read recently...maybe we should take this into consideration. Nathan Finn Now that Christmas has come and gone, many folks are now turning their attention to crafting New Year's resolutions. I will be nicer to my co-workers. I will lose 10 pounds. I will exercise at least four days a week. I will be more patient with my children. I will save more money. I will read through all of Church Dogmatics this year. You know the drill.  Take a look at resolution number 28 of  Jonathan  Edward's 70. "Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same."

I went back to last year's post and saw a picture that we have added to this year.  Our youngest fiance was just face on the screen via Skype but in May our family will officially have another member.  Another great Christmas service and Christmas Eve service.  My favorite place to be is in the sound booth during that time.  I love the vantage point and to watch the congregation respond to the videos and music.  I hope soon to have a video up of our church kids telling the Christmas story for you. Christmas for me is usually pretty practical which I love.  Underneath is a computer stand that I use on the coffee table (my real desk!) and then 3 books (Radical and Radical Together by David Platt and The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler) and a 1000 piece puzzle of a great winter scene and then a t-shirt that I will wear proudly.  I touch carrots every day!!! My family is so precious to me.  I pray for more ways to show them that I love them and I want to continue to be a se

The Joy and Gravity of Adoption

Malachi 3:10 -  "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.  And thereby put Me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." This verse came alive again yesterday.  Stephanie and I arrived at the church to find a post it note on the door that read something like this,  "Dear God, please help my friend (name).  She has no food and is allergic to (insert).  She lives at (address).  Thanks - a friend." An ambassador of God from the church was dispatched with a list of the essentials to pick up at a local grocery store that we have an arrangement with and the total was about $70 dollars.  A trip to the address found a retired mom waiting for her social security check.  A son and daughter and child had moved back home like many in our times.  They have just secured work but nothing coming in yet.  She was just trying to ge

In light of recent events - Albert Mohler speaks on the issue of the killings in CT.  He is able to speak to a local pastor of the town who also has children of the age slain who is ministering to those who lost their little loved ones.  This is a good thing to listen to. Albert Mohler - special edition podcast I wonder what the society did when all the children of Bethlehem and the surrounding area were slain.  Would they have cancelled things community wide?  Makes me wonder if it might be a good thing for our whole country to stop and mourn instead of just plowing through. Adam

      It was a cold and becoming snowy night as we traveled back to the church building for our annual Christmas potluck with our church family.  We did have thoughts in our minds that it might be lightly attended because of the weather that was coming upon us but we leave the numbers to God and have learned to focus on the individuals that are before us.      What a great feeling when you have to combine tables of food and squeeze everything in so that we can use another table for seating people who have come.  The room was very full that night with God's family here joining for a grand feast.      The night was concluded by the singing of the Christmas carols, without instruments, just the voices of the people.  I have the rare opportunity each Lord's Day to stand in front of this congregation for the last 16 years and see the families of the church together for such events as these.  I scan the room for my wife, always getting comfort and strength from her presence to le

This is an hour long lecture from Dr. Donald Abrams would is an oncologist but now does integrative medicine.  I love his shopping bag of food that puts concrete to what we should be eating as cancer patients or in help of reducing cancer risk.  --Adam-- Here are the recommendations he refers to... Recommendations for Cancer Prevention These ten recommendations for cancer prevention are drawn from the WCRF/AICR Second Expert Report. Each recommendation below links more details. You can use these links to skip to individual recommendation pages, or you can start with the first and follow links from page to page through the entire list. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans. Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats. If c

This is from another blog.  I used to be so wrapped up in this.  I have used those books for fire starters a long time ago --Adam-- 10 Old Wives' Tales About Church Growth : Have you fallen for one of these superstitious church-growth myths?

Friday Funny: Famous Last Words