A tree falls

We had a tree die in our back yard last fall. It was surrounded by pine and fir trees and could not be reached by a bucket truck.

Of course I thought I could climb the tree and cut it down

I cut a lot of the limbs off but at 50 foot in the air my courage got a little lacking.

Time to bring in a pro. here he is about 60 foot up the tree.

You can see the top of the tree falling to the left. He had just cut it and given it a push.

I did not get a picture of it, but he sat on top of the cut off tree about 40 foot up and just looked around.

He was standing back as he cut the base.

And then he was standing exactly where the tree was going to fall. His chain saw was stuck and I think he was honestly wondering how he was going to save it before he stepped around the tree out of the way. For a couple of seconds I thought we were going to be looking for a way to get him out from under the trunk.

The tree fell far enough off the stump that his chain saw was not damaged.

Fire wood anyone?

Thanksgiving and Thanksliving

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you”

William A. Ward

“In daily life we must learn that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.”

Brother David Steindl-Rast

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus

Apostle Paul - I Thess 5:18

Thanksgiving and Thanksliving

 – Living thankfully on a daily basis.

Take a few minutes and start writing a thank you letter to God. Make a Thankful List. Post it on your fridge. Add to it every day.

Listen to children pray. They often offer a refreshing list of thank yous.

Exercise the right and privilege to vote. We have a wonderful chance make a difference in our country. There are many in this world who cannot. Take the time to research what the candidates really said/did. Often propaganda arrives on our doorstep that involves mainly half-truths.

Go outside. Use your senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, touching maybe even tasting  (an apple on a tree?) to remind yourself of God’s awesome creation. Look up, down and around.

Say a prayer of thankfulness when you rise in the morning and before you go to sleep at night.

Give money. Give some more. Give time.  Give some more. God uses both.

These boxes were packed by a group in our church for Samaritan's Purse.

Share your Thanksgiving meal with someone.

Be content. Someone recently said their definition of a successful person was a contented person. To be content is an incredible blessing.

Thank someone in your life that has helped you in your Christian walk. Write a note, make a phone call. Encouraging someone else is another way to honor God.

Daily devotions. What better way to say thank you to God than to spend time in his Word, the Bible.

Can you knit, crochet or sew? Make it and give it away. Bring a meal or tray of cookies to someone who could use encouragement.

2 Corinthians 9:13 – This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.                                SS

 

Run The Race Set Before You

Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 

A high school cross country race is 5 kilometers long. That is about 3 miles. 

It is a tough long race. It takes endurance. The days have been hot this fall and it has made the runs difficult.

Sometimes you run in the middle of the pack

Sometimes you forge out ahead.

What counts is how you finish the race. The guy on the right is Matthew he passed all those guys in the last few feet of this race. The writer of Hebrews says let us run with endurance the race marked out for us. Sometimes it is easy and we can run with the pack. Sometimes it is difficult and conditions make for lousy running. Sometimes we are called to run in the lead and show the way. If we want to finish well the race called life, it will only be if we run this race by loving our neighbors as ourselves. As you run this race called life, you can at times show love with everyone else. At other times it is tough and you have to love those who are unlovable. Sometimes you are called to lead the way and show love when others want to be judgmental or self centered. Throw off everything that hinders you and the sin that so easily entangles and race to the finish. 

Cedar Bluffs Nature Preserve

Sunday was such a beautiful day. Finally the weather was moderate enough to enjoy being outdoors. It was Micah's last Sunday home before he leaves for college so I wanted to do a family thing. We decided to check out Cedar Bluffs Nature Preserve  in Mahaska County located near the Skunk River. You have to walk a bit before you get into the preserve but it was a lovely area to take a walk. I think it will be really beautiful in the fall.

Here is the view from the bluffs over the Des Moines River Valley.

On the trail.

Going across the bridge.

The clouds were beautiful.

Iowa has many lovely parks and nature preserves. If you live in Iowa, there are probably several located near you. For some reason, people tend to think of Iowa as flat but I think Iowa is beautiful with many types of terrain. We hope you take some time this fall to visit a park with your family and appreciate God's wonderful creation.

Shingling Bethel

Micah and Matthew have been working for R&R Roofing again this summer. The job they are working on now is Bethel CRC Church. The roof has a high steep peak over the sanctuary.Sharon was considerably worried before they started the job but they are using lifts to stand on for most of the roof.

If you look at the picture below you see Micah working, but Matthew seems to be in a bit more of an advisory capacity or maybe just day dreaming. They tell me he was feeding shingles and Micah was nailing, sure that explains it, I think.

Either way I think I am just as happy working at ground level, and not on 2x6 stringers above the reach of the cat lifts. That way if I fall it is only going to hurt a little.

If you closely you can see Matthew is working in the picture below.

It has been a hot summer and the work is hard but the boys have not complained. It is a lesson I can learn about life. Sometimes the work we are called to do to build the kingdom of God is hard work.Sometimes it takes teamwork. 

 Sometimes it even looks as though it could be dangerous, if nothing else, dangerous to our pride. 

Jesus washed the apostles feet when no one else in the room wanted to. Are we willing to do the jobs that no one else wants to do because they look hard, or are not the glamorous jobs? I think I need to try to do better. I need to listen and look for the opportunities God is placing in my life to be about His work.

Our home

We live in town. We used to live in the country. That was another life. But I know that God gave us this home. It is perfect for us. It is a gift. I prayed for this home. I wanted a closet in my room – I did not have that in the country. I wanted a family room as my boys were getting older and I wanted them to have a place to hang out with friends. And I wanted a nice kitchen. When we were looking for a home, we were living on borrowed time in a place that was no longer our own. We walked through many houses. Many were nice. Sometimes we made offers. Every time we placed an offer, the house immediately sold to another person at a higher price. These were houses that had been on the market for over a year. It even got to the point that all we would do is look at a house picture and it would sell. Seriously. The realtor even noticed it. We were getting discouraged.

Finally, we walked into this house and I realized that this was IT. From the moment I came through the front door, I knew I had come home. It was not just a house. The asking amount was a little more than we wanted to pay. We decided to make an offer anyway. We reasoned that if God wanted us to have this house, he would see us through. When we placed the offer, we couldn’t really even remember what the place looked like. We didn’t even do an inspection. But you know the rest of the story – our offer was accepted and we had our home and the things I prayed for.

                              This is what the house looked like from the street when we purchased it

                                   Picture from last fall

 Our yard to the north of our house

Rock terraces we put in, notice the house has not been stained and sealed yet

I tell you this story because I want you to know that God cares about the details of your life. He cares about you – your hopes, your desires, your longings. Yes, he wants your heart. He wants you to love Him. But He also loves you, He really loves you. You, yourself, as you are. Because He loves us, He longs to give us good gifts. The Bible tells us this. But the Bible also tells us that sometimes the things we long for are not good for us. Then God says no or wait. Don’t hesitate to lay your desires before God in prayer. But always ask God that His will be done. Trust Him and you may find yourself humbled and amazed by His good and perfect gifts for you. SS