Coming to the Still Waters

So Easter 2013 is in the books and it was a morning like no other.  I got the opportunity to lead worship with a new song - "One Thing Remains".  We brought in two new elders to help lead the church.  Matthew 18 gave us plenty to deal with.  Jesus laid out what we are to do when there is sin in His house.  Step 1, 2, 3, & 4 and the goal is it to never get to step 1.  I was so thankful for the Spirit of God taking over and taking over me to communicate His word more effectively than I could have ever done it myself.  I look outside to another snowfall that is not wanted at this time of the year.  3 gallons of maple syrup are in the pantry with a little more energy to do some more before the run is over.  A great talk with the kids today was a bonus and time just to spend with the love of my life has made this day complete. Adam

     I love the coming of Spring and also the greatest day in the life of the church, Easter (Resurrection Sunday).  What sorrows me is that our communities sometimes put the two together and the greatest day in the life of the church suffers.       As much as I would like to think that those who leave during this time will walk into a church and celebrate the resurrection of Christ, sometimes with travel times it makes this a hard possibility.  With our vacations hinged around our children in far away places, we try to plan to be in a house of worship with them but sometimes it becomes a travel day and so Christian radio and sermons are what we take in during that time.            But what I am really sorrowful for is that it knocks out the built in opportunity to reach out to those who only make it to church on that Sunday.  So we have Spring Break week starting on Good Friday ...

     Well let me tell you.  The sap was keeping me busy and then came the snow and cold weather that stopped the sap production but increased my time on the tractor finding places to put the snow.  Easter is coming so I am getting ready for that day and some added extra teaching was thrown my way so needless to say I have been busy.  On top of that, I have been actively looking for a replacement car for one of our sons, the kitchen stove is on the last legs, and the pole barn door finally would not go up and down anymore.  The amount of money we received from our income tax return was looking like not enough to accomplish what I wanted it to and set aside some money for our other son's honeymoon.  But then God stepped in.  After looking at countless used cars, I stumbled upon one that just hit the lot that day, that was better than anything we had looked at.  It was advertised with an engine I am not familiar with but when the sales...

I got the operation going again.  I need to thank our youngest son who wanted to do this a few years ago and he is gone but I keep going.  I did this with my father for many years and spent many spring breaks home from college boiling it down.  Now I make enough for us and all the kids and it reminds them of home.  We received an old cooper deep pan from a great aunt this year and it is very similar to the ones my father used so it is a new addition to the production.  The snow is so deep that I am wearing snowshoes to collect the sap and I will have 26 taps in this year.   This Sunday takes us into Matthew 18.  It is a chapter that has many one liners in it and that is many times how it is handled, out of context to the whole chapter.  Although I am not going to be able to cover the whole chapter in one sermon, I am going to set out an outline that will show how we need to keep the thought that Jesus is giving together from the beginnin...

Every once in a while Steph and I are in different places for the weekend and it is so great to get back home.  This weekend took her on the yearly pilgrimage to a winter retreat with the teens and I was home tending the fires and holding down the service at the church. I sure miss her when she is not there on the front row but it is great to be used in many areas of ministry.  She came home excited about the retreat and all that the teens got to experience along with the messages and the music.  I got to tell her about another great Sunday morning worship with an opportunity to see another go off into ministry and also share pictures and stories about another going off to his eternal home.  The sermon this Sunday dealt with how we are to live in this world while we are part of another.  The idea of being law-abiding citizens opens up some doors for us to witness about Christ and takes down some walls as we love people as Christ would love them.  Jesus ...