To Believe or Not to Believe

Genesis 1:3-5     And God said,"Let there be light", and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God seperated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day............

Genesis 1:5   God called the light Day and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Can you look at creation and not believe? Can you see the wonder of a new born baby and not believe? Can you pray for grace, forgiveness, and good test results, and not really believe when the truth is right there in front of you? I choose to believe. I have really wrestled with this for the past week as how to present Christian belief as so not to offend anyone, and then I thought, "Why should I be politically correct? It is what it is". A friend and I have a mutual friend who is a self proclaimed atheist. This person attends "church" on Sundays - not really a church but a meeting of the mindless minds, where everything is permissable, and you can be whatever you want to and it is OK. This person claims to have read the whole Bible and dismisses it as just a novel and not a very good one at that. But when asked, this person cannot prove Jesus is not God and Savior: that He indeed existed and still exists today. Whenever we are all together, I do not push my ideas and beliefs, but continue to pray before eating (which seems to be very offensive to this person)  praise God for answered prayers, and  thank God for the good things in my life. Just believing in God seems to set this persons nerves on edge. I just calmly go about the way I normally act. We were discussing a movie which featured someone as being demon-possessed  (The Rite). Of course this person would not even acknowledge the existence of the devil ( because that would also justify the existence of God). I pray daily that I can somehow persuade this person (or at least put a seed of Christian belief in their mind) to come to the knowledge that God was, is, and always will be . And that the Bible is the true Word of God. "All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, correcting, and training in righteousness".
2 Timothy 3:16

A few blogs ago I expounded on my early Catholic upbringing.  I certainly was not criticizing any other denomination, but just relating some silly things that happened in my life.  I learned before I was a teen that there were many discrepancies in my religious training, and chose to follow what I believed to be true - the Holy Scripture. Although I was an adult before I was truly saved by the cleansing blood of Jesus. And on that note, I shall continue the saga of the poor little Italian Catholic girl in Chicago.

One of my best friends at the time was an only child; shy and quiet child (imagine that for a friend of mine) who also attended Catholic school with me in the same grade. I clearly remember the first day of kindergarten ( I was only 4 at the time). She cried so very hard at being left at school that she actually threw up on the newly polished school room floor as we all sat Indian style in a circle.  I suppose I remember it so well as she sat right next to me. I can still hear the other uniform clad students (girls with navy blue pleated skirts with straps and white blouses, and boys with tan shirts and dress pants - also ties)  gagging, hollering  Yuk (yes, hollering in the classroom) !!!! while the whole time Sister was trying to instruct us not to DARE follow suit. So much for the first day of school!
I always wanted to 'share" things with the Sisters - like the time I told Sister that my Mommy was sitting on my Daddy's lap, kissing him. I got into trouble for that - Sister reported to my Mother who admonished (very severely as was her manner) me to never, I mean never, repeat what happened at home. Shortly after that, a Sister was sitting on Santa's lap one Christmas!!! I was horrified--- little did I know that Santa was another Sister. It seems strange to me that I remember all of those things, and hardly any of the daily Religious classes we had.

It is still very hot here in NW Arkansas, with very little rain. Most of the people have let their gardens go, not watering them as it seems to do no good. We always stop a a local produce farmette, where the produce is always so wonderful. Everything is very sparse and prices are higher than usual. So we thank God for what we do have, and pray for rain and cooling weather.

A Meadow Wedding

It was our privilege to attend a very moving meadow wedding this Saturday. The bride is the daughter of one of our life group Bible study (small group) and a very Christian young lady. The wedding was in a meadow (yes, a mowed meadow on a very hot July evening).

Direction signs - notice the groom sign!

The theme throughout was sunflowers. The family had planted sunflowers in the field, but because of the extreme heat, none grew, but the country effect was certainly still profound. Guests signed in by inking their finger on a green ink pad,, placing the mark on their wedding tree, and signing their name next to it.

guests sign in

The entire scene was focused on God's wonderful creation and how lucky we are to be a part of it. The guests found their own seating on benches cut from logs, and visited while waiting. We were all supplied with fans to keep cool - on one side was a picture of the couple with a verse from Mark10:8-9.  The other side featured cool redneck jokes to keep us entertained.


mingling guests, cooling fans, natural benches - notice the view in the distance

The bridal procession started in  the lower meadow and wound it's way up to the  natural alter to the sounds of contemporary Christian  music. It was a beautiful, almost mystical experience.

the groom and groomsmen coming up from the lower meadow

followed by the bride's attendants

a serene setting

the bride and her father



isn't she lovely - and look at the sunflowers

 The ceremony itself was very unpretentious as the couple quietly recited their vows to each other while music played.  As the service began, a soft, cool breeze swept through the area for the entire ceremony - perhaps the Holy Spirit giving His consent to this union? The service was God centered with verses from Ephesians.  The couple, Lindsey and David, then took private communion with each other  before being proclaimed husband and wife before the eyes of God and man. They are both very Christian people, raised in Christian homes, with their values focused on God's will for their lives. It was so inspiring to see where God is in their lives and marriage. 

their private communion together



Mr.  and Mrs. David Owen

The newly married couple and attendants then danced ( yes, danced ) for joy back down through the guests and headed to the reception area, which was also on the property - a private home of a family friend. It was an ultra-modern home, with great sweeping areas of stainless steel and aluminum, but still managed to keep the country scheme. The dessert table was covered with dessert provided by our life group, all in clear glass dishes and on pedestals of cut logs - the centerpieces carried out the sunflower theme.

 

view from the reception area

a portion of the reception area



the dessert table - sweet area



snack area -  for those who like salty

centerpieces - candle veggie cans, rye grass in smaller cans, and of course, sunflowers

The couple left almost immediately for a week cruise and then on to Guatemala where they both teach and minister the word of God. I hope I have not bored you with this wedding, but as you can probably tell, it has touched me so much. To see a Christian couple so involved with God's plan for them, incorporating it into their daily lives is so inspiring. God is alive.

After I got home, I was presented with this beautiful Arkansas sunset - God is alive indeed!

                              

Rain!!!!

It finally rained here today after many days of heat and no rain. A person could hear the grass drinking! The birds were taking baths in whatever small amount of water that they could find.
We are busy trying to find a Bible study for our winter Texas volunteer group, although we also want their input. We have such a great group in Pharr for the winter, and hope more decide to join us - great Bible study, fellowship, and food!  We have been praying about what to study - which direction to go, but so far nothing seems to jump out at us. Patience - not one of my best virtues.
Our daughter and her husband here in Arkansas feed the deer in their yard - she got some amazing pictures of recent visitors to their feed lot. And no, they are not going to shoot them!

Aren't they beautiful creatures?

There are so many different denominations in this world today with so many different beliefs and interpretations of the Bible. We all need to pray that we understand what God wants from us, and not rely on the beliefs and doctrines of others. Listen to what is being spoken, think about it, pray, and then go to the Bible to read what is written about it. We need to be strong in what we believe and stick to our convictions.
Growing up in Chicago and going to a Catholic school was a pretty big challenge for me. I loved the nuns, but still feared them. Every single one of them (short, tall, skinny, plump)  had a very skinny and sharp "pointing" finger. They all knew how to use it to poke you if you were misbehaving. My least favorite nun was sister Bernadine - tall, skinny, with a permanent sour expression on her face. It was my luck to have her for two years! My favorite was Sister Bernadette - short, plump, always smiling, never frowning, even acted like she loved children.We attended chapel every day, went to confession every week (which I will talk about in another post), attended church every Sunday, and generally were "good Catholic children". Perhaps I was the exception to the rule. There were rules in the classroom - even in kindergarten.A large slide was actually in our classroom and was part of the recess time for us. The unwritten rules were that when Sister blew the whistle, you were to return to the education area - recess was over. If you were at the top of the slide, you were to return down the ladder - under no circumstances were you to slide down. A lesson in obedience and discipline. (I guess you know where this is leading!) If you committed the sin of actually sliding down the slide after the whistle was blown, you had to walk back up the slide, holding onto the sides and hauling yourself back up. The first time I did not adhere to the rule was a challenge - to see if the nuns would actually make ME walk back up the slide. They did, and with angry instructions about disobeying Sister's and God's will. And of course, it must be confessed to the priest. After that, it was fun trying to outwit the whistle - one eye on the clock and one eye on Sister.
This is just a small sampling of how I was raised for a few years in Christianity - knowing about God but not actually knowing God. We need to be so careful with those who do not have a clue as to salvation - be gentle, not condemning, but just understanding and presenting God's will as it is outlined in the Bible.
I was in a local store the other day - sort of a speciality store. The owner, for some reason, began talking about his former life of marijuana smoking, two divorces, loosing homes, boats, etc. due to a worldly lifestyle. I had not mentioned that I was a chaplain, nor had I verbally told him I was a Christian. He related how he was saved through the grace of Jesus Christ and turned his life around, even falling to his knees and humbling himself before God. We talked about Jesus' saving grace and how thankful he is now where his in his walk. How amazing that we can have a discussion like this, without confronting, condemning, or being "pushy" in our faith.
Be sure to check back for more of my life growing up in  a Catholic Italian family in Chicago in the 40's, in a very diversified neighborhood.

Freedom



 As we come to the close of the July 4th week, I tend to reflect on what freedom really does mean to me. I have the right to choose where I live, how I dress, how I vote. I have the right to protect myself and my family, and the right to worship whenever and wherever I please. Yesterday I had the privilege of praying with a complete stranger - at a laundromat of all places. The new attendant that was there introduced herself as Jennifer, and we chatted a bit as I readied the washer. I noted that she was new and explained that we lived in a 5th wheel for a few months and therefore used this particular facility. I mentioned that my husband and myself were chaplains, when she immediately asked for a prayer request. Her son and nephew are serving in Afghanistan, and she asked for prayers. So right then and there, along with another of her sons, we prayed for their safety as well as their ability to keep close to God in a strange and dangerous county. Could we do this in any other country??? I am not sure - I know that it was the Holy Spirit who gave me the boldness to openly pray.Please pray for these two young men, as well as all of the others who CHOSE to serve for us. This is what the USA is all about. Psalm 33:12 says "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord".  

God bless the USA

As we settle in here in NWA Arkansas and adjust to the high temps, we are again down sizing (I never knew we had so much stuff). I realize that "stuff" is not nearly important as feelings and relationships are. Last night we had a fellowship with a few Christian friends at their new home.A small group, 11 of us in all. Just a cook-out get together to enjoy each other's company and celebrate the new home of one of the couples. It was truly an enjoyable time, as we prayed, talked, laughed, and joked with each other, all of us concerned about the status of the others. We have that right according to our Constitution, and as God's children, we are thankful for that privilege.

Our church here is starting Vacation Bible School this next week - their theme is "Tom and Huck: Discover the Treasure Buried Deep Within". What a wonderful job a decorating and setting the scene they have done !!!!  Pray for the teachers and volunteers, and especially the children attending, that they will come away with a greater understanding of God. I may be helping in some area (perhaps the carnival games on Friday) - I think I will need prayer, too!

PS: I cannot take credit for the photos - I stole them from the internet .

Arkansas

We are now back in Arkansas after a very nice road trip here. We took a scenic route this time and thoroughly enjoyed the different sights and areas. We went down through Southern Illinois to St. Louis and then across to Branson, Missouri where we spent the day with Chaplin Dennis and Sally Maloney. A wonderful time to renew relationships and talk about CRM and the activities in South Texas for the coming year. Dennis is the chaplain at Alamo Rec Veh Park Church where we all spend the winter months. As president of the church board, we work together to insure that the residents there are fed and led in a Biblical way to the Lord, as well as helping to continue their walk with Jesus.

A stand of Wisconsin birch trees

After arriving in Arkansas (after being chilled due to our stay in the North), we were met with 90+ temps every day. Luckily we can adapt well and felt back home. We stayed at our daughter's for a few days while we readied our home (5th wheel) for our summer stay. We did try to sell it this past winter in anticipation of sizing down, but the Lord did not feel that the time was right. We will be patient and wait for His direction.

Our Arkansas home

 Which brings to mind the sermon Pastor Vance Eubanks gave this past Sunday at our home church in Prairie Grove. He is preaching a series on Christan Mythbusters. His sermon was on God's blueprint for our lives, or is it a game plan with principles and guidelines??? A very thought provoking sermon: What is His specific plan for every decision we make, and how do I follow God's Game Plan for my life???
It was wonderful to be back in our home church, to fellowship with friends and fellow Christians, to enjoy our JOY (Just Over Youth) Sunday School Class, and pick up on our small group bible studies.  I felt that I really needed the additional boost after almost two months of traveling. We are giving a presentation of our ministry in CRM/CHI in JOY class this coming Sunday - please pray that we can convey our enthusiasm and dedication to all who choose to listen. God's grace is soooooooo good!!!!
Children's Haven International (CHI) in Reynosa, Mexico in partnership with CRM is building a three room education building to allow all grade levels to be taught separately. As of now, grades 5 & 6 share a classroom as well as grades 2 & 3. This building will also house a media/library area, and allow for 50-60 additional students. This increase of outside students brings much needed additional.funds to CHI. The collaboration with CRM in the area of funding is bringing this dream into reality!!! Step out in faith - God will provide.

Early project beginning in April of 2011

Cement work in progress

Finishing the cement

cement slab finished - no basements in Mexico

The walls are up - the rest of the project will be finished by summer church TEAMS and winter Texans.