Coming to the Still Waters

Two of the children and their families left yesterday for their trips home.  Stephanie and I shed some tears at that moment.  It was so great to be together and under the roof of one house again.  We look forward already to that next gathering.  I couldn't sleep much last night.  Too much going through my mind that I need to act upon today.  Please pray for me as move forward with what God has laid on my heart.  --Adam--

Today is an in between chapter devotional that I think I will string into a series between the chapters of Zechariah.  I have been going through a study with Pastor John Piper who is zeroing in on the principles to help us keep the meaning of the text the actual meaning of the text.  There are 7 principles to follow so I will give you an introduction to what I have been studying and applying to my own approach to a passage of Scripture.  I can see coming back to this for a Sunday School class or a Sunday night series in the future.  Let's start with a definition. "The meaning of the text is what the author intended to communicate by his words." I, the reader, am trying to get at what the author actually meant when he put the words down on the scroll.  I will need to minimize my importance as the reader and what I may feel about what I am reading and maximize the importance of the author's actual intention of the text for us to understand.  Let's gi...

The house has increased by 6 so we are up to 13 plus a dog so today we will add that final 4 and see how we handle all 17 of us.  I am thankful for two bathrooms, the bathrooms available at the church across the street, and also the borrowed motorhome in our driveway for another bathroom and some more sleeping arrangements.  So far the days have been great to be outside so the house isn't too small for what we are doing.  So back to the kiddos and some more picture taking.  --Adam--