About Life...

The weather is unusually warm here for Jan.! Guess this is due to global warming? Lost another chicken this weekend to our mystery predator. SO frustrating! Started with a flock of 60 and we're now down to 37. 20 chicks & 17 layers. grrrrrr Spent a whole morning clearing out brush & small trees away from our fence line hoping to give less opportunity for ambush. If chickens would fly up in a tree instead of hitting full freak mode, they wouldn't be as likely to get slaughtered, but they panic and scatter, literally losing their heads. They are beautiful, charming little creatures with many different vocalizations. Like people, each are special in their own way. Always sad to lose them!

Christmas break is over. The kids start their new school tomorrow. After much prayer and consideration, we withdrew our oldest 2 children from the private school they were in. Public schools in this area are very good with wonderful teachers. We don't believe in placing kids in situations where they'll be "overwhelmed by temptation", but I also don't want them in a school where Christianity is being misrepresented. We're moving on. When Christian parents are doing their jobs at home, doing their best to keep the family strong through worship, prayer and open discussion with their children, they are very likely to be an influence for good in the public school system. Christ in the heart is fullness and reveals the emptiness of other things. Not every child who enters that arena turns into a heathen as many would have us believe! "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."

We love our new church family at the CCC! We feel like we've FINALLY found a congregation with better focus and we are excited to be involved with other young adults, media ministry and the praise team. We had some guests over for lunch after church and enjoyed spending time with them. Watched 'Beyond the Gates of Splendor' documentary and wept at how love turned murderous savages into loving believers. Amazing what God can do!

I spent lots of time this vacation reading blogs. So many hurting people out there! I'm convinced there is NO room for arrogance, self-righteousness or spiritual pride in the Christian life. The more I study our Savior, the more I want to love as He did. (Fact is, I don't have all my ducks in a row- I'm still learning like everyone else!) The humble, gentle, servant approach of Jesus is often such stark contrast to the way we go about things. It's frustrating to see people with honest questions and deep struggles turned away because they don't see the Love of Jesus in us. (They should for all the boasting we do of being "God's Remnant Church") We're in such a hurry to set people straight, but we often fail to present & live the greatest truth- which is Christ and Him crucified. I've said this before in many different ways, but my deepest conviction? It's NOT about us or about having superior theology & perfect behavior. It's about the victory of Christ on our behalf- HIS righteousness. Until we make Him the main thrust of our message, sadly, we aren't converting true believers, but mere conformers. (Many prefer religionism over relationship so they don't have to see their great need.) No matter how many texts we memorize, how many church offices we hold, how well we express ourselves, how many schools, hospitals or satellite networks we have- without Love we're nothing. Holy Spirit is doing an amazing work! There is major revival happening!! People are turning to Jesus, some for the first time in their entire experience, and entering His rest. Beautiful thing! Seekers who connect with The Vine will produce fruit... Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up, I will draw ALL men unto Me". Help us, Lord we are so clumsy!