October reminds me of the sound and smell of dry leaves on the ground, warm days and cool evenings, pumpkins, fall festivals, Halloween excitement, and the promise of winter to come. Today, as we are still with our daughter, (please continue to pray as we search for a home to call our own -as housing in this area is at a premium), I picked a few jalapenos from her garden which is still producing peppers and tomatoes - the basil and chives are expanding yet, too. I had picked red hot peppers and strung them up to dry for grinding later on. Fall harvest time is so satisfying - the fruits of the labor. Fall decorations are everywhere, even in the yard as a Zombie pumpkin appeared, guarding the garden from critters. Our great granddaughter Brielle, and great grandson, Jaylen, love him as you can tell from these pictures. Brielle and Jaylen were here for the week-end and believe they learned more than any school could teach them. They watched the racoon and opossum feed in the evening right outside the front door) one racoon actually stood up by the glass front door and looked in!), studied a praying mantis up close, helped load and unload firewood, made smores by the evening fire, listened to the sounds of the night woods, helped pick vegetables from the garden, and spent much of the 2 days outdoors, enjoying nature
Jaylen does not like his picture taken
while Brielle is a big star model
Our home church is again sponsoring the Angle Tree - the names of 25 children whose parents are incarcerated are put on a tree where a person can pick a name and buy specific gifts or them. I have volunteered to be a part of this ministry calling the caretakers of these children to find out sizes, gift wishes, etc. and coordinate this with the folks who chose to pick a name. We have been a part of this type on ministry in the past, and I have seen the wonderful effect of it on the kids. The best part is that the committee will wrap the gifts and distribute them, so the actual work involved for the folks is just the purchasing of the items. We both want to be more involved in ministry work here in NW Arkansas, so I am thrilled to begin in a small but important level.
Pastor Vance Eubanks preached on Sunday despite the fact that his mother had passed away the day before. Please keep him in and the family in your prayers this week. When we face death and are followers of Jesus Christ, we need to lean on God even more. Continuing in the Book of Peter, we learn that the Christians were strangers in their time and place. The definition of a stranger is a pilgrim - that is what we are as believers in Jesus Christ. we live temporarily in an alien environment. We are living in this world and heading to our permanent home with Jesus. We have a living hope and look forward to an eternal life in heaven. We have an inheritance that will never perish, spoil,, or fade. How do you live your life as a follower of Jesus Christ? Peter tells us what to do with the Good News of Jesus Christ. You have to live a different way than others. Have you had a transformation life - have you made a changeover in your life? Set your hope fully on God's grace. You need to prepare your mind - get rid of stinking thinking. Don't be lazy minded by the things of this world. Be intentional about what you allow to come into your mind. You can become a disciple by the voices you listen to the most. You need to think more than the world around you -do not imitate. Be self-controlled because a person who is not self-controlled will be influenced by the enemy around them. Being self-controlled is being filled by the Holy Spirit. Chart a vision. Because of grace we all look forward to the coming of Christ. Because of grace we have the ability to be the most helpful people. Because of grace you have an optimistic future - you will be united with Christ. You need to take actin. You need to be obedient children and live for Christ. Listen with a good attitude, It may not be easier or make your life easier but the goal is eternal life. Set yourself apart. Maintain separation from the world. Be holy - which actually means set apart. God want you to be set apart and unique for your purpose here in earth. Be in the world but not of the world. Maintain distinction - it makes you different from the world. What is normal in our culture today is not working so that makes us all weird, but attractive because we have hope. Maintain your motivation. Things were just as difficult in Peter's time. Have a healthy fear of GOs. There is a reward for how you live your lives. The price and plan of your salvation is because you have Jesus Christ. It was not because of perishable things that you are redeemed but through the grace of God.
Enoy this beautiful season - take in the sights, smells, and sounds of fall.
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