Purge

What drives us? What keeps us fueled up to face the challenges that Life throws at us? How are we growing ourselves? Do we expect others to feed us? Do we expect our bible reading once a month to feed us for the whole month? What do we need and are we willing to go get what we need? Maybe what we need is to PURGE some evil from our lives.

This last month I have been reading through Deuteronomy (Yes, the Old Testament) and I noticed the frequency of the use of the phrase, “Purge the Evil from among you.” This phrase occurs 10 times and one additional time in a different phrasing, “purge from yourselves…” This shows how much God desires his chosen people to be pure and free from Evil. Deuteronomy ends with Moses describing the rewards for obedience and the curses for disobedience. This is a big deal to God. So, how do we do it? How do we keep our way pure? Psalm 119:9-16 says it pretty plainly. The NIV Translation says it this way:

“ 9 How can a young man keep his way pure?    By living according to your word.
 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

It really comes down to spiritual disciplines. Have we been taught to feed ourselves? Do we know how to feed ourselves? Have you tasted the Word of God and found it to be good? What we need is to fill ourselves with the fuel that is the Word of God. To know His standard. To know and implement God’s word and commands.

LEARN SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

God's desire is for His Chosen people to Purge the Evil from among them. How can we do this if we don’t know how? We can clean our houses but if we don’t know how to keep it clean, it will just get all muddied up again and possibly even worse. We need to be taught to keep it clean and then we can and will be a blessing to others.

my old journal

I was looking through an old journal of mine and came across this quote that I wrote down on Dec. 25, 1989.

"Scripture is not a matter of one's interpretation because scripture was not made by an act of human will."

I didn't know I thought so deeply as a 17 year old kid. If you read 2 Peter 1:20-21 you will see the context of this thought. Any reactions?

Be Prosperous

As I read this passage in Deut. chapter 8 I was reminded to be careful not to get so full of myself in the Pursuit if Happiness.

11-16 Make sure you don't forget God, your God, by not keeping his commandments, his rules and regulations that I command you today. Make sure that when you eat and are satisfied, build pleasant houses and settle in, see your herds and flocks flourish and more and more money come in, watch your standard of living going up and up—make sure you don't become so full of yourself and your things that you forget God, your God,

the God who delivered you from Egyptian slavery;
the God who led you through that huge and fearsome wilderness, those desolate, arid badlands crawling with fiery snakes and scorpions;
the God who gave you water gushing from hard rock;
the God who gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never heard of, in order to give you a taste of the hard life, to test you so that you would be prepared to live well in the days ahead of you.

17-18 If you start thinking to yourselves, "I did all this. And all by myself. I'm rich. It's all mine!"—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today.

19-20 If you forget, forget God, your God, and start taking up with other gods, serving and worshiping them, I'm on record right now as giving you firm warning: that will be the end of you; I mean it—destruction. You'll go to your doom—the same as the nations God is destroying before you; doom because you wouldn't obey the Voice of God, your God. (Deut. Chapter 8 Message Translation)

Looking at those last couple of verses and then looking at all of the gods that are pursued in our world and especially our country i realize once again that we were warned. We are supposed to learn from the mistakes of those who went before us, not repeat them. But we, like the Israelites, simply see what is right in front of us and we are a fickle people. My lawn is never good enough to suit me.

Thank you God for the lifestyle that you have blessed me with. I know that others have it better and many seem to have it worse. Yet those who have it worse seem to love you more. I am sorry for valuing the things more than I should.

Inspirational!

from the file

Found this in a file and laughed out loud:
Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars and he will believe you.
Tell a man a bench has wet paint on it and he has to touch it.

or

If superman could stop a bullet with his chest, why does he always duck when a gun is thrown at him.

there you go... from the file

Production of Rain

Something that I forgot since I lived in the midwest was the manner in which storms introduce themselves to the world. Nothing quiet or average about the rain. It is such a production. Back in Yakima we were used to rain being a novelty and very subtle, but not here. It is like a full body experience complete with dark clouds, rolling thunder, lightning, torrential downpour, wind, and whatever else God can come up with. Such amazing creativity. The sky such a beautiful canvas of blues and grays. Amazing. God's Production of Rain.

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Love this ministry

There is a ministry that seeks to minister to folks who have bought the lie of the Mormon church. I saw a preview for their latest video and the last little testimonial makes my choke up. The lady gets so excited that her little boy does not know who Joseph smith is. Amazing!

check out the preview for Living Hope Ministries.


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oops, where is spring

today it was HOT in the midwest. Mid 80's i think. I mowed my lawn for the first time and it was nice. I love mowing. There is something about doing something and then turning around to see the immediate result right there. The grass is shorter and you can see the product instantly. No waiting, no planning just mowing. Very satisfying.

Today Pastor Todd hit another home run with a great sermon on Hell. Third in the series. first, end times, then Heaven and now Hell. Check out the church website to hear it. Very good stuff. www.calvaryefc.org

Thanks to all who are still praying for us. WE miss so much about the Northwest. Mostly the people. We are getting our NW People fix this weekend with Pam and Katie visiting. Nice to have them here.

Spring is finally here!

Well, today was great. After one last snow storm last week, we hit the low 70's today and it was nice. The birds are chirping and the grass is turning green. One thing is for sure, though the winters are harsh, the Spring is amazing here in the midwest. Now we are looking forward to fireflies in the summer.

Easter was amazing. I have not experienced such an amazing service in such a long time. Full Orchestra and choir with an incredible celebration of the risen savior. Then to cap it off we had another great sunday yesterday as Pastor Todd spoke on the return of christ. WOW!

Next weekend I will be attending a districts retreat in Duluth. We are taking two bus loads of kids and we are occupying at least 20 hotel rooms. There will be about 3000 other students attending and the theme is all about us becoming less so Jesus can become greater. Love that!

More later.

Easter Illustration

A video I did for Pastor Todd for Easter Sunday Morning

great start

So far we have had a great start to ministry here in Rochester. We had 76 kids at our first youth group meeting and kids are very excited to be there and bring friends.

Thanks for so many of you that have been praying for us and our family. God is good and we are pleased to be a part of a ministry with so much potential.

when you coming to visit

So here i lay on my bedroom floor typeing into the computer a note to any who care to read. It is 11pm and all are asleep. my laptop is plugged into the phone jack as I battle with the add filled free netzero dial up service to type late at night. We dropped Deb's mom off at the airport and are spending the next two days alone as a fam in our new home. Tyson starts school tomorrow. I start work on thursday. Liz comes on Friday and then my dad and Marcia come the weekend after Liz leaves. full days to keep us occupied.

Weather has been amazing. up into the 60's today with beautiful (borderline amazing) sunrises and sunsets. each morning we see the sun rise over the top of the farm outside the window near the breakfast table. The snow is melting and the grass is trying to turn green. Curtains are getting hung, all of our appliances have finally arrived, the basement is coming along nice and we found out our real estate guy will be putting in our slab patio for us after we are all thawed and dry. Life is good in Minnesota.....when you coming to visit?

I made it!

I made it to Balmy Minnesota! Spent some time with my brother and his friends in Minneapolis and did a little sledding with them. Very Therapeautic, and painful. My neck still hurts from hitting the jump i didn't see because we were sledding at night.

Moved all of our stuff off of the truck and into our home and garage. Plenty of good help and got it all out and mostly set up in our new house. Then had dinner at the Mannenbach's home. I doubt Liz (the mother) will read this, but if she does....NICE SOUP! it was really good and I can't remember what it was.

Today was a box day. emptying out boxes and setting up the house for the arrival of my family tomorrow.

On The Road

I am sitting in the passenger seat of my own van while my friend Jeff drives. We just passed into central standard time and are approaching Bismarck, ND. He has a SPRINT card for his laptop so I am able to type as we drive. The weather is nice on our journey so far. Ultra clear skies but WOW what wind. We have covered 1159 miles in the last 16 hours. The van is so full that I cannot see the dog in the back seat.

Last night we listened to a message by one of my favorite preachers, Andy Stanley, and he talked about some stuff....but what impressed me in regards to this season is the idea that we sometimes don't trust God to be bigger than our problems. If my problem is to big for God, then my faith is too small.

God pull me and my family through this difficult season and I apologize right now for not having the faith in you that I should.

They made it too!

the family made it and the kids were very excited to see their rooms and all of their toys that have been in boxes for the last several weeks as we prepared for the move. The first full day here we played in the snow, made our first Minnesota Snow Man and drove their John deer jeep (thanks Hiatts). Then today, the second full day, we toured Tyson's new school and walked around the underground walkway, called the subway, and the skyway downtown. Kids are having fun and Deb and her mom are doing a great job getting the house unpacked. We are nearly ready for visitors. Basement is framed and sheetrocked and looking great as well.

The weather warmed up and will keep climbing into the 50's by the end of the week so spring is on its way. WOOHOO!

Thanks for the prayers and no matter what you northwesterners say, life in the midwest is still good! Just ask my family.

unfinished goodbye video for my son

my face is leaking

As i finish the packing of our beautiful little home here in Gleed, WA. it gets more and more difficult to say goodbye to my home of the last 11 years. It is difficult to leave any place where you have put down roots, but it is even more difficult to go when it was not your choice. The pain is getting so real as the day approaches when i will drive away from my home on a journey to a new one. As i reflect on my kids dancing on our new fireplace made by the hands of a dear friend my face leaks for the memory will only be that, a memory. They will no longer be able to dance in their home made stage to Grandpas music on the stone fireplace that Don made. I am sure they will find a new stage, but this will be their first.

They will no longer be able to chase eachother around the island in our new kitchen that we just put together for them or around the laundry room hallway living room track. They will find a new track to run around, but this is their first and for us one of our fondest memories and favorite things to watch them do.

They will no longer be able to grow weeds in their weed garden at the top of our hill in the backyard. They will find new places to play, but this is their first.

they will no longer be able to go to Ray and Pam's for dinner and a swim in the summer. We will meet new friends and new families, but these were the first. And you are all so dear to us. We will miss you more than i will ever be able to express verbally.

All these things and so many more are the memories that are so painful to see go. God this hurts more than i thought it would and I don't like it. My face keeps leaking.

I know you didn't want to leave heaven where all your comforts were to come to this awful place to redeem us so you know what I am feeling. Help us through it as only you can.

Adios Yakima

We are pulling out on Thursday for our new adventure in Rochester, MN. New house, new Job, new stores, New life, New schools, New Church, New Everything. Thanks to all of our friends here in Yakima for the memories, support, prayers and for being there for us through out this whole transition. We will be back to visit when we can but we may not be able to see and visit with all of you but stay in touch with us and if you want our address contact me through Email and i will send it to you.