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Great Friends

Many of you know that one of the life changing moments in my life was back in 1991 driving home from my brothers memorial service.  It was a very difficult time in our lives, but the reception was wonderful because Dana and I had so many common friends.  We had a great time reconnecting to our friends at the reception, but on the way home, I told Deb that I felt my life was too busy for friends.  So I determined to change that and made time for friends which was the beginning of meeting with some friends early in the morning each week.   A life that is too busy for friends is simply too busy.

I also see the need to keep in contact with old friends that don't live close.  A few weeks ago I spent some time with my life-long friend Jim and his wife Margie, after his mother's memorial.  You know how there are friends where you can pick up right where you left off and it seems that no time has gone by.  Jim is such a friend.  But I know that I need to keep closer touch.

This week Tom and Bonnie (deb's college roommate) came to visit.    What a great time we had together.   Bonnie and Deb are such great friends and so alike and it was just fun to be together.   Tom is one of those guys that earns my respect so quickly.  He has such a gift of imparting into people's lives.  Tom is one of those guys who is a "refresher".  Paul writes to Philemon, "The hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you brother"  Philemon 7.  One of my life goals since college days is that I would be one who "refreshes".   I have been thinking again what this looks like, and am thinking about the work that God still has to do in my heart, in my attitude, in my schedule for this to happen better.

The other day as I was praying I was "impressed" to expect something great from the Lord during the month of April.   Of course this could be the Lord's leading or just me thinking, but I am praying that God would do something wonderful.   I don't even know what that would look like because God is sovereign.   But I have been thinking and praying about what that might look like.  Could it be something that God wants to teach me, a new hunger and desire for the Lord, a deeper love for others.   Maybe it would be a new home group starting up or a new ministry.   Maybe the Lord would bring someone into the church that becomes an integral part of the church family.   Could it be that God wants to heal someone, or that someone we have been praying for comes to faith in Christ.   I would just like to be expecting God to "show up" in someone's life...especially mine.   

My desire is that I won't be a hindrance in any way to what God wants to do and that what ever He does, the glory will go to Him.

That was Wednesday morning and here it is Friday.  In the last couple of days there have already been some pretty neat things.   Wednesday night I talked with the AWANA 5th and 6th graders about why Jesus is called the Lamb of God.   I explained the reason for the cross and explained salvation in Christ.   I asked them to raise their hand if they asked Christ into their hearts for salvation and to begin to live for Him and about 8 kids raised their hands. 

I want to live my life with a spirit of expectancy to see how God will work.   I also want to live my life with quick obedience as I sense His leading.

We certainly serve a great God

Stuff going on

There are some great things in the works for the men's ministry.   We have dates for a few of them.

Jeep Trip and camping June 23-24  We will start at packer saddle and end up at the back side of Gold lake.  We will have church outdoors Sunday and then jeep out after church.

Men in Action:  A conference for men drawing men from the area to the church for an event that will be of interest to men.

Also coming, widow work days, men's retreat, men's prayer.   

If you would like to be involved in the men's ministry, just give me a call

One year ago

Today is the last day of February.  I don't know where the month has gone.  Every day this last week Deb and I have been checking back to our notes on our trip to Israel.  One year ago today we were in Beth-shan and then headed toward the Dead Sea.  When I read the scripture now, I can picture the different locations.  What a blessing that trip was.   I will be teaching a series for Sunday School soon that of the land of Israel.  Everyone in the class will get a map of Israel. We will look at pictures that I took and read the scripture of what happened at different locations.  We will talk about the life lessons from the scriptures at each location.  I would love to make another trip to Israel someday.

Back Home

We were not able to go to Mexico because of the services for Hazel, but we were able to get away to see Deb's mom for a few days.  We left Portola when the sun was shining and we got home tonight to a mountain of snow.  We have had such an easy winter, so I am not complaining, just shoveling.   It is snowing out now.   Makes me wonder how much snow we will end up with before this series of storms is over.   When I am shoveling snow, I often think of the extra time it takes living in the mountains in the winter.  But then I think of those who have to commute so far to get to work, and all the time that they spend sitting in traffic on the freeway, and standing in line in stores or the bank.  I have often looked around at the snow covered mountains  to take in the beauty of the winter, and it's back to shoveling.

Grandma Hazel has been part of my entire life.  She once told me that she prayed for me every day of my life.   Monday she took her last breath in this life, and her first breath in the next.  I have often thought about how much things changed in her 98 years.  She remembers hearing that an automobile was coming to town and everyone going out to see it.

Sunday is the memorial service and we have enjoyed seeing pictures of her younger years.   So many people have come into her life over the years and are now gone.   She was one of 12 children and outlived them all.  She lived well and died in the presence of her family.  Sunday we will say goodbye to a grand lady.

I added a new photo album to this blog with some pictures of her younger years.

Renewal

How fun was that renewal?  Those of who were were able to attend a series of 4 meetings over the weekend would probably agree that it was a wonderful time of worship, hearing of God's work in people lives, and hearing Bill Pubols give four messages.   I thought the turnout was good, the friendliness and enthusiasm was great, and Bill is such a good communicator.  It will be interesting to see the long range impact of the meetings.   A special thanks to those of you who made it happen with all the details, music, inviting others, sound etc.

Bill made it back home to Idaho fine, and said that he really liked the time here with all of you at Portola Station. 

We will soon be going to the school for the deaf in Mexico.  We are looking forward to that adventure.   My mom, Lois, is feeling good enough after back surgery to go with us and we will stop and see my son Steven on the way home.

We will have new pictures of Mexico posted when we get back

How the canoe church started

A couple from our church has been going back and forth to the Philippines for years.  A few years ago Harry and Dee Smith heard of a village named "Canoe" that had problems with their rice crop and were starving.   Some of the children died of malnutrition and Harry thought that if we could come up with enough money, he would be able to go to the bigger city and buy enough food to keep them alive until their next crop came in.   Portola Station gave over $17,000 and people from the village helped Harry carry the food over the mountains and into the village.  The food showed Harry's heart and they trusted Harry's message.

Before we knew it there was a handful of new believers meeting for services under one of the homes.  (Some of the homes are on stilts).   As this group of new believers grew, Harry came back to us saying that if we would buy the land and the materials, they would build a church building.  Again Portola Station came up with the needed money and progress began on the building.  Since Harry and his wife Dee cannot stay there all the time, they asked a Filipino friend that had been discipled and trained if he would go into the village and be their pastor. 

Rudy Valentine is now their pastor and the church continues to grow.   They now have children and youth ministries.   They are seeing people of all ages come to faith in Christ and beginning to grow in faith.  There is much opposition because of the pagan tribal religion.   Pastor Rudy asks us to continue to pray for him and for Canoe Station Church...the first church in this village ever.

Lessons from plumbing

I have been learning lessons about life from plumbing.  I was so looking forward to having a day off when I could just do what I wanted and not what had to be done.   It looked like that day would finally come after several months.  I went to the shop and got a fire going, expecting to enjoy the day making something wonderful.  But then I got a call that water was running in the bathtub of one of the apartments.   I went over there to find that it was really running and wouldn't shut off.   I needed to repace the "guts" of the shower but in order to do that I had to turn the water off for the house.   The problem is that the water shutoff is inside an underground box that was frozen shut.   I tried all sorts of different methods of getting it open but it didn't budge. 

After several trips back home getting different tools to try different things, and several hours of making no progress, I began to get discouraged.   Just then I got another call of something else that had gone bad at a different house.   I told my friend later that if he had come by at that moment, I would have sold him the house for $12.50.   After several hours of getting no where, I finally prayed out loud, "God, please help me"   On the way back into town, I new idea came to me and I was able to get things fixed.   

What I learned is that I am slow to pray.   My tendency is to try and try until I get discouraged.   Some people get mad and throw things, I am not like that, but I do get discouraged.  I am reminded to trust, yield, and rest.   Plumbing is just a little thing, but the principle applies in every area of life.   Even after more than 30 years of walking with the Lord, I still need to learn to trust Him more quickly with the everyday affairs of life...to continually yield to the filling of the Holy Spirit...and then to enjoy the "rest".   (Rest being contrasted to striving, worry, discouragement).

As I learn to practice this, you may want to follow me around for a week, you might end up with a home for less than 20 bucks if you ask me at the right time.

blogslug

I have been a blog slug.   That is my new word for someone who pays no attention at all to their own blog.   I love the idea of having a blog that people can check in, but it doesn't work if I am a blog slug.   So how does one become a blog slug?  Easy...just get so busy with other stuff that it stays at the end of the "to do" list.   Since I never finish my to do list every week, it never gets done.   

So what has been going on that has taken up so much time?  I guess that there have been so many things.  One of the things is this new job this year of lead pastor.   I didn't know that Sunday comes every other day until this year.   The other thing is having a Saturday night service.  It is almost like having two churches.   One of the problems is taking on the new job as lead pastor and at the same time having my old job which took 60 hours a week, but I love it.

The rentals have been an issue.  I have had lots of turn over lately and some of the rentals have required so much work.   I have been a "slave" to the rentals since this summer.   I have been amazed how some people live and how someone can trash a rental.   I am hoping that will slow down soon.

But life is good to me.  Not that there aren't difficult moments, but I have a family that I love and that loves me.   I also belong to a church family that the same it true.  Then of course I get to walk with the Lord.   What an honor!

This new year I wrote down in my journal the hard things and the wonderful things of 2006.   Every year is like that I guess.  I certainly hope that you have a wonderful year, 2007 and that you will walk with the creator this coming year.  My hope for myself is that I will walk with the Lord and develop my prayer life deeper.

I also hope that I will be better at keeping up with this blog, sharing new pictures, more thoughts and encouraging words.

I love it when people leave comments

Dennis