From Generation to Generation

My paternal grandmother influenced me in many ways, especially by her faith in God.

In her actions, her words, and just in seeing her open Bible on a table next to her chair,

I knew she loved God and followed Him.

We do not know how we may influence another generation,

maybe even a generation we will never meet,

but our lives are living testimonies to who and what we believe.

Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will praise you forever;
from generation to generation
we will proclaim your praise.

Psalm 79:13

Improve the View of Our Pasture

Last year, there was was massive flooding...

and then, this year, drought and fire...

In 2011, Montana experienced flooding not seen for a very long time,

and this year, the fire season started much earlier than usual.

The photos above of are of the town of Roundup and the area around it,

a small town less than one hour from where we live.

The flood destroyed homes and changed river banks;

the fire destroyed at least 70 homes, including a cabin that

a couple we know recently built.

There was a lot of flood damage last year and fire damage in many other places in our state;

one recent fire burned over 240,000 acres, and it is just mid-July.
Our fire season usually starts in late July or August,
but we are having a terrible drought, just like many of you are living in.

The aftermath of such disasters goes on for months and years,

but one thing I continue to read in the paper and hear on the news

is of the resilience of those who have gone through it.

This couple's dream home was destroyed by a recent wildfire,

but they already have plans to rebuild and start again.

In an article in the paper was the following...

"There aren’t many bright sides to look at in the aftermath of the fire.

 But Ken found one as he looked down the hill through blackened trees

to the pale green grass in his pasture, which remarkably remained untouched.

'It’ll improve our view of the pasture,' he said."

(article)

How many times have we suffered through a disappointment,

a heartache, an illness or the loss of a loved one?

Sometimes, we have a hurt from the past;

perhaps someone disappointed us,

or they took away something valuable to us,

or plans did not go as we'd hoped?

Sometimes, it seems as if God Himself has let us down,

or at least His people,

other Christians who should know better, right?

We are unable to get pass it, but we may think we have,

yet it comes out in ways we may not be aware of,

through depression, anger or a sense of not needing anyone,

sometimes not even God.

I have my moments that I too often dwell on,

but a word was given to me recently that gives me hope:

You may be thinking,

"That's easy for you to say,"

But no, it really isn't.

My past has many moments of sadness, pain, sorrow and regret.

I could go over each one and blame those who hurt me or blame myself for my bad choices,

but when I start to do this,

I remember what Christ did for me on the cross;

I remember that He did this for me and He did this for you,

and I want to let it go so that I may see the new things.

The people most affected by the floods and fires in Montana will face the trials

day after day, yet I am so encouraged by their spirit of survival and

their spirit of moving on.

Like Ken whose dream home burned said,

"It will improve the view of our pasture."

God is doing something brand new in each of our lives;

lets see what is bursting out!



(new seedling in the aftermath of a fire)

Think on These Things ~ Are We There Yet?

When I was growing up, my family often took long trips in August when my dad

was able to get away from the farm before the harvest season began. For a family of seven,

 taking five small children on a vacation must have been quite an endeavor. 

My memory may be a little faulty since I was quite young when we first travelled,

 but I do remember that we always camped.  We'd leave Iowa and travel to other states,

which seemed like a whole different world to this midwest girl.

I remember that we first went by car; mini vans didn't exist and so that meant

that 4 kids sat in the back seat and 1 kid sat up front between our parents.

We didn't have video games or dvds to watch, and there was no air conditioning in our car.

Can you imagine?

(photo)

We had our sibling spats, of course. We'd get cranky and hot.
"He's touching me!" and I don't have any room!" were probably certainly common complaints.
But the one statement we most likey said, over and over and over was,

"Are we there yet?"

(photo)


After we married, Lauren and I eventually moved here to Montana,
and many times we drove with the girls back to the midwest to see family.
It is 12 hours to northwest Iowa where Lauren's family lives,
and another 6 to 8 hours to eastern Iowa, where I was from.
Needless to say, I am positive that the girls said frequently,

Are we there yet?


(photo)

 The road to "There" must seem very long at times.

We are on a journey of a different type as we travel through life.
Sometimes we have smooth roads and other times we hit those proverbial bumps in the road.
I, for one, wonder at times if I am making a difference in this life and
I wonder if I am living my life as God created me to live it.


(photo)

I want to "be there",
to be at that place I am supposed to be,
following Him to my fullest potential,
sharing the joy of knowing Christ with others,
and being faithful to do the work He has given me to do.
I want to see the Welcome sign, the one that says
"You've Made It!"

When I first came to Christ, He gave me this verse,
and I have held on to it as a promise...

When the journey seems hard and pointless,
when I don't think I am going to make it to the Welcome sign
having served him faithfully,
this verse reminds me that

 it isn't my doing,
it is His.

 He
who began a good work in you,
(from the day you were born,
just like little Eli in my picture)
will carry it to completion...

He is doing this work in me,
and He will complete it just in time.
I am not there yet, none of us are,
but we are promised that we may be
confident
that He will do this and all that He has promised.

Some day, we will finally be there!

...being confident of this that

He who began a good work in you

will carry it on to completion until

the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

Please join With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart for
Think on These Things

Think on These Things ~ Snip, Snip, Snip

I recently got my haircut ~

snip, snip, snip...

(photo)

Kirbi cut away expertly with her scissors,

trimming the faded color that I can't wait to be rid of,

exposing more of the silver-gray underneath ~

snip, snip, snip...

She must be at least 30 years younger than I am,

but the task at hand gives us a common goal,

to cut away the old, making room for that which is growing,

letting the new growth bounce back with shape and style.

Snip, snip, snip.

This reminds me of when I have to cut back plants in our garden

when they get too leggy and scraggly,

snip, snip, snip

(bhg)

trimming the faded blooms and old stems,

and exposing the new growth that holds the promise

of fresh beauty and giving back the plant its

beautiful shape and style.

Snip, snip, snip.

Sometimes God has do a little snipping in our lives,
trimming away that which is causing us to" fade" His place in our lives.
You know, when we spend more time in pursuit of our own happiness,
replacing time with Him in His word and in prayer with time doing _____________.
(Enter your own replacement activities. My list would be shamelessly long at times.)

But He loves us so much that He snips away the distractions and reveals to us
His good and perfect will for us.


 Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
  but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —
His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

Please join With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart for
Think on These Things