Growing up it was a treat to be able to go to a restaurant in Kalamazoo on occasion (a very special occasion). When we would go to Schentzull’s Cafeteria (I’m sure I slaughtered the spelling, but at least I tried) on Sunday’s we were on the original mall in America (my history is a little fuzzy just like it was when I was in school) – Kalamazoo being the Mall City. But on other occasions we went to the Smorgasboard (today they are called buffet’s and you get your own instead of having someone else put on your plate what you want). I guess life is like that sometimes – you ask for what you may want, but God is the one who puts what is best on your plate.
Income Tax Meal (?)
Josh noted that we would be soon having our ‘Income Tax Meal’. Obviously that is how they think of it. Last Saturday (23 February 2008) we had a family meal of rejoicing in God’s provision at Ryan’s Steakhouse (a buffet). It is just that to gather together as a family is a challenge (it always was even if we were all in the same house). Income tax is usually the only time we have enough money for all of us to go out to eat. I was able to share in a way the purpose as to why we do get together. Here are some thoughts I spoke of when we gathered. (I hope he keeps it short!!!)
In the latter 1200′s and early 1300′s a cruel king of England (Edward) had awarded some Scottish lords castles and lands. In return they paid tribute to the king of England. But for the common Scot the English armies would rape, plunder, and kill the Scottish people and clan leaders. A man among the common Scottish people who desired freedom from the English tyranny rose up and started leading the Scottish people to cast off the English occupation and bring freedom to their people and lands. The Scottish lords refused to help the Scottish people other than to re-negotiate with England for better deals for themselves, but not for the freedom of the people. The Scottish lords saw their means of peace and their concept of freedom in agreement with and servitude to the wicked king of England. The Scottish people saw that they would only have freedom when the wicked king of England had no rule over them at all.
As I considered this I recognized that sometimes like the Scottish lords we have grown up privileged, in a given realm of belief in the Word of God, its doctrines, it truths, and in God the Father, Jesus Christ his Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We feel locked in and secure. But also like the Scottish lords we forget or fail to recognize our true liberty in Christ. And there are many in our churches and communities who are desiring to know and live in that freedom.
These realities alone should be motivation enough to continually search the Word of God. There are so many truths and examples God shows us that without seeking God’s Word ourselves we will never know that which wasn’t taught us in Sunday School, church, or Bible college.
One area I learned something new about a few years ago was the festivals of the children of Israel. Two festivals in specific had to do with God’s blessings for his people. These were the feast of First Fruits and the Feast of Ingathering. As most of their festivals were, they were eight days long. The first day and the last were to be solemn or sober assemblies, special sabbaths. However, the whole feast was centered around God’s people rejoicing in His blessing and provision.
Then there was the matter of tithing. All I ever knew tithing was is you bring your money to the church, put it in the plate, and the church does whatever with it (thinking as a child). Well they tithing in the Word of God was based on the increase of the fields and flocks. They were to bring the tithe to the place where God would choose to place His name. If the way was to far, then they were to sell what they were going to bring, bring the money with them, and then when they go there they could buy ‘whatever their soul lusted after’ – oxen, sheep, wine, strong drink, whatever their soul desired – and then eat it before the Lord and rejoice, you and everyone in your home (household).
This evening (last Saturday evening) we are sitting together as a family and those of our household (we welcomed Hannah Gfeller, Karlyn Tipmore, and her mother Pam Tipmore). We have this meal together before the Lord and you may eat whatever your soul desires (hey, we were at Ryan’s Steakhouse, a sumptuous American buffet). Only rejoice in that it is God’s blessing. This is obviously not for our redemption, nor for favor and good standing before God, but as we are encouraged to be, that we should be to the praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ. (Some Scripture references are from Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 14, and Ephesians 2.)
WASN’T THAT SUPER?!
Within the last month and a half we have been inundated with the Super Bowl (how could it be, Green Bay wasn’t in it), Super Tuesday and Super Saturday (how could it be, have you seen who is available to vote for?), and super this and super that. To put all this ‘super stuff’ into the right perspective I considered a basic understanding of a Greek word I looked up years ago. In Romans 5:20 the KJV states: Moreover the law entered that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. The Greek word I looked up I don’t remember, but I do remember the sense of the sentence: But where sin abounded, grace SUPER abounded. You want something you can truly say is super? You can never, ever have anything in your life that is more super than the grace of God
We Heard You Were Moving, Is This Ever Truly Going To Happen?
(In other words, Is moving forward moving forward?) I’m glad you asked (Hey, that is the polite thing to say even though I may not have a good answer!). While I must be extremely careful as to what my claims are that ‘the Lord is doing’ as opposed to ‘my being indecisive, uncertain of sorting (had to put that in there for my wife), the lack of a comprehensive presence of mind, or (how about this) just plain laziness (lets hope that while that may exist may it be few and very far between), I can say in retrospect that we would not have been prepared to move in many ways before now. While we have enjoyed the blessing of being the Big Family In A Small House our older children who will not be moving with us (as far as we currently know) were able to plan and prepare financially for moving. Eunice paid her last payment to Northland in November 2007 allowing for that money to be put toward rent in December. Josh had (has) a budget he had been preparing in since last summer (2007). Ricky was also able to piece together what he needed, so Josh and Ricky moved to an apartment in December. Eunice moved in with her good friend Johanna (at least she was when she moved in). The first week or so of January we had Andrea’s boy friend Cameron Gaudet with us until the 16th when both Cameron and Andrea went back to Wisconsin – Cameron to start a new job in construction and Andrea back to Northland for her last semester. Since then Lois was the sickest for a couple of weeks I ever remember her being in our thirty years of marriage. Then Cherith got sick with stomach flu. Then I got sick with stomach flu. I got over that on Wednesday February 13th, then on Wednesday the 20th I came down with the fever type flu and was in bed (except for Saturday night) until Monday morning when I went to work. Well, I hope that sickness is not counted as a laziness.
Our desire has been to be in Wisconsin serving already. The delays we have seen are necessary. The personal time with God in His Word, the preaching we have been challenged with, and that which we have seen going on around us we understand as God’s preparation for that ministry. We are in contact several times a week (typically now) with Pastor Gaudet and in prayer daily for the ministry and people there. Sometimes we ourselves feel like everything has come to a standstill and ‘Is this really going to happen?’, just stagnant.
But God continues to encourage us in unusual ways. Just last night we went to a Care Group Soup and Desert meal at church. Though we got there late we did get to see a DVD on the ministry of Brooke’s Point Bible Church in the Palawan province of the Philippines. From that church several other churches have been started. Then the pastor’s son gave a challenge from God’s Word. It was on coveteousness and the man who did not see God in his prosperity, who didn’t have a place for God in his plans, and did not praise God in his pleasure (see Luke 12:13-21). It was God who had the last words – ‘Thou fool. Tonight thy soul shall be required of you. Whose shall those ‘things’ be. The challenge was manifold – Earthly riches are temporal. Don’t focus on the blessings, but on the Blesser. Forsake self and follow the Saviour.
After the challenge from God’s Word another young man who also had lived in the Philippines expressed an interest to see our house as he is interested in buying a house in the area. Whether or no he is the one for whom we have been praying, it none the less was an encouragement.
As always, I hope this post has brought you up to date (somewhat) and that it has been an encouragement to you.
