Being Sent: Re-post from my blog

In Mark 16:14 we find our selves smack dab in the middle of the Great commission. Jesus has appeared to a few people, but as a collective the disciples are doubtful of his Resurrection. In verse 14, Jesus appears to the eleven 14Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had…

A Kodiak Christmas….

Hey village family, Our journey has taken us even more northward to our boat in Alaska. We are roughing it, so to speak, living in a 6x6 galley while we build our spacious 10x12 room on the back of the boat. The project isn't without it's unforeseen problems and unforeseen joys. problem: boat starter just fried....we need this to move the boat to fill up water tanks and fill…

When the phone doesn’t ring…

Every day the phone rang. Sometimes a day or two might slip by without it ringing, but for the most part it rang every day. Sometimes it rang several times a day. I couldn't or wouldn't always answer because I was in a meeting or counseling someone or cooking dinner or any of a myriad of other reasons. Sometimes I just wasn't in the mood to answer. I'd be…

Jolie runs wild

The 'I love you' girl is running wild. Missing part of her brain and experiencing fine motor skills issues has meant that she's been unable to walk. She crawls all over the place and loves to 'walk' which is her name for being pushed around in her stroller. At age eleven she is incredibly strong primarily because she is constantly pulling herself up into chairs and dragging her ever…

Mom is with Jesus

Sometime around 5:30 this morning my Mom went to be with Jesus. It is an answer to her deepest longing. We rejoice that she is with him and grieve our loss. She was a good mom. Born during the depression as one of ten children she knew the realities of being poor. She married young and had a us kids to care for, especially my little sister who struggles…

looking for a compass…

life is messy. communication is messy. relationships are messy. how then can we expect God's plan for us to be so cut and dry? believe me I want the cut and dry. I want the writing on the wall. I want the specific plan stamped by the divine approval stamp. but instead I get mixed feelings, mixed messages, all mixed up with fear and doubt. so what propels me…

Drumming Circle prayer

At the Drumming Circle I asked you all to pray for my Mom. I asked that you pray that Jesus would answer her longing to go home to be with him. Mom's dementia got worse and worse and on Saturday night she fell. The caregivers called the paramedics and it was determined that she likely had fractured her other hip. One of the paramedics called me to ask if…

when community crumbles

Yesterday Eric preached on what it means to belong to The Village. Community is the essence of Christianity- it's the expression, the experience, the joy, the pain, and the presence of God. Community allows us to draw closer to the heart of God. It allows us to care for one another. It allows us to disagree and push one another. It is essential. The problem with community is that…

Loss of nuance

Somewhere along the way we have lost nuance. It has almost completely disappeared from our cultural interactions. You are either for women's rights or you are a baby killer. You are either a proponent of Black Lives Matter or a racist. You are pro second amendment rights or a communist trying to steal guns from law abiding citizens. You are homophobic or you must be for gay marriage. Vaccinating…

Will there be an offering?

She had wheeled herself up near the piano and was listening to us sing for awhile. Her one arm hung uselessly at her side and with the other she maneuvered the chair close behind us. She asked if she could join in. It was a childlike questioning voice coming from a scrunched up cherubic face that was filled with doubt as to whether or not she'd be welcomed. Of…

Erica

Thanks to all who continue to pray for Erica, the mother of Terra and Jolie who are goddaughters to our son, Justin, and therefore grandchildren to us. Erica has been going through tons of medical testing and procedures to determine what is going on with her heart. It has been determined that her condition is related to an 'electrical' problem with her heart probably brought on by some sort…

My new job!!

Hello Villagers, I'm sure I haven't had a chance to talk to all of you about the job that God has given me.  I have the opportunity to work for AZ Baptist Children's Services in their New Life Transitional Program. The program is designed for men and women who are struggling financially and need help becoming self-sufficient.  Many of our clients are homeless or facing homelessness when they come…