Periodically life gets packed in, pressed down and stale.  One of the things that can help us when things get like this is to do something creative. First, this change of pace often is the very ticket to release a new level of enthusiasm for life.  Second, by creating something, we are using part of our God given abilities to make a change in the status quo.  And last, when we are done we have something in and around our lives that didn't exist before, and we all have a need for something new from time to time to come into our lives.  

I have come to learn that what seems to be obvious to me may not be obvious to others.  And no doubt the reverse is true as well.  You may well see things clearly about me that I can't see at all, or is not on my radar.  I am not talking about critical spirits, judgments and such, but the good things that we could benefit from if it were as obvious to us as it is to others.  Or, as obvious to you as it is to me. 

Recently, I had a problem.  Ever had one of those?  It wasn't a big problem, but it was my problem.  I was working in the yard and using our brush shredder to shred up the pruned trees and shrubs from earlier this year.  Everything was working well.  Then I attacked the pile of weeds and pruned plants, and though I thought there would be no problem there was a problem.  A mass of that stuff stopped the shredder cold in it's tracks with a huge clunk, that sounded like something major broke inside the machine.  My first problem was to clear out the portion that stopped the blades, which w

Today I have been thinking about the small things.  The small things that can make a huge difference.  The beginning of small things that end up being big things.  And the small things that are all part of the building block of great lives and great ministries.  Not only is God the God of the big picture, the overview, the life view, the vision view, but He is the God of details and specifics.

Recently we were in Alabama, experiencing a new place and new grace to do it.  On the morning of our departure, after a very wonderfully intense 5 days, I awoke early.  I wondered if the alarm would go off in time, so I kept checking the clock from time to time to make sure I didn't miss my awake hour.  Sure enough it went off on time.  While I was waiting for it, I began to rehearse all the things I needed to do to make this day work out:  get up, take my shower, pack the rest of my things, spend time with our friends with our friends before leaving them, driving back to Huntsville, finding out where to return to car rental.....about that time the Lord said to me,  "Stop".  That got my attention.  Then He changed my vision perspective. 

Andrew Phillips asked us to review this article, and when we did felt very strongly we needed to make it available to a much larger audience than he currently has.  Andrew is currently a full time youth pastor at Real Life Church in Maple Valley, WA.  These revelations stirred him up and have stirred up all those he has shared them with.     By the way, Andrew is also our son-in-law.   Used by permission.

The Releasing of the Gift of Faith

Article background: The article below was written
by Cheryl Musser.  The church she belongs to has gone through some
major battles over the past few years.  This has resulted in some
casualties. As the church administrator, she, along with the pastors
and elders are presented with the facts of church life that are not
very pleasant.  Here are some very honest and challenging emotions and
feelings that we all go through when some one leaves a church due to
hurt feelings, disagreements or perhaps a growing coolness to the

This is a special article.  It is dedicated to my husband. On May 25th, we will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary.  In meditating on Building Together Across Generations, I realized that good solid marriages build bridges to the next generation.  When Darryl and I met in 1972 in a rickety house in the central area of Seattle, I did not dream that he was the answer to my heart cry!  As most young girls, I would think about being married and wonder about my future Prince Charming.  However, as a realistic, practically bent young woman, I knew he would not be perfect, nor would he whisk me away to a fantasy castle to live the life of a princess. (This was not my desire anyway!)

Article background: The article below was written by Cheryl Musser.  The church she belongs to has gone through some major battles over the past few years.  This has resulted in some casualties. As the church administrator, she, along with the pastors and elders are presented with the facts of church life that are not very pleasant.  Here are some very honest and challenging emotions and feelings that we all go through when some one leaves a church due to hurt feelings, disagreements or perhaps a growing coolness to the things of the Lord.  Cheryl read via Facebook how a former church family had found this wonderful new church, a very painful way to discover that they had, in fact, left their former church home.

Sisters, Please take time to enjoy the Spring time—as your soul is refreshed, you will be a better daughter, mother, employee and believer.  God sends the spring to remind us of His Hope, Love and Future.  

Psalm 39:7    “And now, Lord, what do I wait for?   My hope is in You.  Enjoy the journey as you wait for Him to reveal Himself to you, to bring solutions to any problems, or just grow in your friendship with your Savior.