Merry Christmas

It's Christmas today, the most sinificant event in history and most meaningful to us as christians. I am so joyful this morning for family that loves me. A wife that has stood with me for 25 years and has had a lot to do with my kids loving me. When I think of how God in all his slendor and glory, had a need to see ahead in humanity, a need of a savior, a Savior that would lay down his life for us, I can only find Praise and adoration for my Savior. He has removed the penalty of sin and replaced it with Everlasting Life! Tis the Season to be Joyful. May you and your family find Joy this Christmas and peace for the new year|

Merry Christmas-Taking X out of Christ

funny video,but true eh?

concerned too Much!

A few minutes ago a supposed friend suggested that I stop being concerned as their life had nothing to do with mine. How do you stop being concerned when we have been commanded to "carry each others' burdens" Galatians 6:2. When someone hurts another person whether it be intentional or unintentional is it right for us to stop being concerned? When we are faced with a decision to "love money more than people" that is where the root of all evil arrives from. If money becomes the sole basis of working so we can gratify the sinful desires of the heart, we will also stop being concerned for the person we have been placed placed with. This person needs prayer and a changed heart. How cowardly to accuse a friend of being to much concerned.

Some general teaching about friendship. In the first place, the Bible says, "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly" (Prov. 18: 24). Some are too distant to form friendships. There is great value in friendship. "Two are better than one," wrote the wise man (Eccl. 4: 9). A true friend will stand by, even in times of trouble. "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity," the Bible says (Prov. 17: 17). To the converse, the Bible speaks of false friends when it warns, "Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint" (Prov. 25: 19). There are some people that are not desired to be friends. For instance, "Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go" (Prov. 22: 24). A true friend will tell us when we are wrong. Hear the Bible, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Prov. 27: 6). Genuine friends must be cherished and not forsaken (Prov. 27: 10).

Attitude

Three and a half months since last blog eh! Hear goes then! Jayms is playing hockey on the Interlake Bantam team and loving it. This is so good for him, even when he still hears those words a million times...he's too small. In the past those words motivated him and he always came through strong. He's had some tough times, but I have to say this year is a battle of the mind as he has been challenged more than ever before. I am so proud of him as I can tell he is really battling mentally. The level he has to play at to compete is very demanding of him. Being 100lbs playing against kids 150-200 lbs, is tough. He has always been a leader on teams he has played on and he now finds himself in a different role. His teammates all respect him and accept him totally. As a parent it is painful to watch him find his way. I know my son...he will find a way to elevate his game. Attitude*****

What am I here for?

This summer like any other summer has gone bye to quickly! Where have I spent my time? I can honestly say that when I look back at all the other years, the times I remember the most are times when personal growth occured. When many people think simply of themselves, and their own pleasures often this leads to the need to create more pleasures and desires as the spent ones stay behind in our memories. Time goes by like the wind and before we know it we are asking where did it all go. What am I saying then? Is this all wrong to live within our desires? Absolutely.....NOT. God has created us to enjoy life and to live it fully. This is the catch and you can drop it if you like, but there is always a driving force to all the madness of getting everything done in a short summer. When we live only to please ourselves time zips past as if we are standing still. As we always look forward to our next pleasure we can never actually be still and know that "I am God". psalm 46:10. Let us live life...but we need to live as to please God first. When we make God everything in our lives, we can actually "stop time and live in the present" We are free to live today and not stress about tommorow. What joy it gives when we realize, pain, success, or pleasure can lead to a contented life where we long no more for yesterday or tommorow, but live in the present within God's grace and care. God can and will provide person growth in all our circumstances, when we deny ourselves and seek him.

Peace

How we need this in our lives. Gaylene shared at church council meeting how we need to take time out of our busy schedules to just worship God quietly. Maybe the phone can ring, maybe kids can wait, or work stuff can be ignored. It's o-kay to have people wonder what happened to us when we do not blog, or facebook for a while. Life can easily bring us to despair if we choose. And there is the answer. If we choose to use excuses to carry on our lives our way, it will carry us away from God. Take time today to reflect.....is it about me or is it about Him? The Greatest Joy will come into one's life when we take time for him and Worship....Stanley Cup was exciting and brings instant joy???? but 24hrs later, we are faced with our own lives again. What Joy when we can come to him and experience this peace that actually lasts.


Devotional for Tuesday, March 24, 1998 by Donald Bartow

Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The desire, ability, and reality of trust are not determined by your outward circumstances. This depends upon your inward spiritual depth. The storms of life may buffet, but the ship of trust cannot sink. It will remain afloat by the grace of God.

Two artists were commissioned to paint a picture of trust and confidence in the Lord. The one painted a beautiful pastoral scene. The meadow was green and aflame with blooming flowers. The sky was exotic blue and dotted with playful clouds. Cows grazed in the distance and a happy family sat on their back porch serenely surveying the tranquillity of the moment.

The second picture depicted one of the most devastating storms imaginable. The sky was ominous, the lightning sharp and terrifying. The heavy rain was lashing against the rocks and added force to the raging waterfall. The trees nearly touched the ground as they bent before the onslaught of the wind.

A close inspection revealed a small bird in the cleft of a rock unruffled by the storm. Underneath the picture was the one word, Peace. This one was chosen because it depicted the peace of God in the midst of the turmoil of the world. You can trust Him at all times and in all ways.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for Your peace which passes understanding even in the midst of all our problems. Amen.

(From The Ministry of the Master ©1986 by Donald Bartow. Used by permission.)

Ever wonder where time goes? It has been a while since my last posting. I figured i would fill myself in. Aaryn has a couple of exams to write and then she will have completed first year of Education. Wow where did the time go? She has had a great year and has learned alot of life skills living on her own in an apartment with her cousin. Gaylene and I have been blessed with a great daughter who has taken this experience very seriously. Aaryn has taken a job in Gimli at a restaurant called Masks in fine dining. She will live with us at home more the most part. We decided to keep the apartment in winnipeg as this location is perfect for her. Gaylene and I are hoping to find a place for our trailer near Gimli where she could possible stay. Jayms is done with hockey after a great experience at Directors cup. God has blessed us with a great kid who has a great attitude dispite the frustration of not growing as fast as other kids. He will be just fine. We all have areas and parts of us we do not like. God made us this way. And Adison, what can I say, doing well in school and looking to buy a car..... has a interest in mechanics and farming maybe in his future???? What the power of prayer can do. It is so important to remain faithfull to God in Prayer and trust God for direction and support. I have been doing some thinking on the Holy Spirit. Wow how amazing. What contentment when we can accept that his work through us is not limited to our efforts. When we are in tune with his will our actions will reflect his will and thus our lives become more Christlike. Of course if your Dale we do make mistakes and the Spirit lets us know. I think the greatest harm we can do to our selves is living contrary to his teaching. I want to encourge myself by accepting others for who they are and always forgive others as I know I have been forgiven. Man what a sad way to live when we cannot forgive or accept others. The great freedom and peace we can experience by resting in God's Grace. But this Grace is only available to us by giving ourselves away to others.

I am looking forward to this summer. Stephanie's boyfriend lost his job in Hecla and he could very easily be bitter about his employers. He is going to stay with us for the time being and so Adison and Jayms now have a big brother so to speak. hahaha
Neat to see them happy. We always tell them....Whether you think or not think or do not do what you know is right, your opinion does not matter....fact is still fact. They will choose to live for God or against God. Whether they think the earth is flat and not round???? Does not matter what we think.... God still wants a relationship with us. It is always our goal to teach them that we are responsible for our actions and not let others who disappoint us tear us down.