FULLY KNOWN…

I just finished reading through Psalm 139. And as I ponder those words this morning – as I let them sink deep into my spirit and allow God to speak directly to my soul – I am amazed. Amazed that God – who knows and understands everything about me – my HEART, my ACTIVITIES, my THOUGHTS, my CIRCUMSTANCES, my MOTIVATION, and my WORDS – this same God, who knows everything about me chooses to be with me where ever I go. He chooses not to abandon me. He chooses to love me unconditionally. It is as David said, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.”

And as every day unfolds – He has a plan – He is in control – and I can rest in the knowledge that nothing that happens in the course of my day surprises Him. My days have already been written down – and everything will be alright. He has surrounded me – He watches my back – and goes before me as I walk into the future. He has His hand on my life! He is simply too wonderful – for the simple praises that I can offer!

THE ROAD AHEAD…

I’m checking out the road conditions this morning before I head to the airport in Colorado Springs – and it looks more like the map of a ski slope! Driving is not good – skiing would be better – but then that wouldn’t get my daughter to her gate in time for her flight. The road ahead looks to be slow and slippery this morning – but beauty of the wintery landscape here is still unbelieveable! Time to make some tracks.

A STITCH IN TIME . . .

Well, Freita had been asking me to clean up the workshop – and I had been doing what most guys do best – procrastinating. Anyway, one night this past week I was closing up and turning off the lights and it happened – I caught my foot on the cord of a Jig Saw that I had left lying beside the workbench (still plugged in of course) after I had finished using it a few days earlier to fix something that I was working on in the store. I took a tumble to the floor. And that wouldn’t have been so bad except for the fact that I had not yet cleaned up all the tools and debris from cutting some thick slabs of glass for shelves for a showcase that I needed to do quickly in order to ready the showcase for one of our artist, a potter, who was joining our gallery last week.
Anyway, I cought myself with my left hand as I fell to the concrete. No bones broken – no major damage. But I did feel this sharp (no pun intended) pain in the palm of my left hand as I push my self up from the floor.
As I turned my hand over to see what was causing the pain – there it was – a half inch thick shard of glass shaped like a pyramid – pressed into my palm so that the glass was flat with the rest on my palm. Of course the blood began to flow as I pulled the piece out of its new found home.
It was nine o’clock at night and time to head to Pueblo to the ER. Three hours and three stitches later I finally crawled into bed at just after midnight.
Now that question on most of your minds isn’t, “So, how are you doing?”. It’s most likely, “So, have you cleaned up the workshop yet?” And the answer is – “Well, sorta”. I still procrastinate – but I do have good intentions!

WHITE SNOW & YELLOW ASPENS…

Well, Freita and I just got back from our day trip up in the mountains.  The Aspens have not hit their peak yet – still alot of green ones in most places.  But as we drove higher and higher – the temps fell lower and lower.  The mercury bottomed out at 31 degrees as we drove through Divide, Colorado.  And we found ourselves driving in a full blown Colorado snow storm (see pic below).

I guess we will have to try again next week if we want to see the Aspens glowing yellow in the sunlight.  This week – they weren’t too yellow – and there wasn’t any sun shining.  But the snow was sure pretty – even for September!

SHE’S HEALING WELL..

So many of you have emailed and prayed … and emailed again to ask how she is doing.
Well, other than a broken ego (suffered from all of the kidding about not being able to talk on the cell phone and walk at the same time) – Freita is healing well. Titanium plate is screwed down tight – stiches are out – and she is beginning to move her wrist. Keep up the prayers!

WEST WINDS OF WINTER…

This week it hit. It’s like we went to bed one warm summer night and woke up to the grey skies of winter and a west wind that blew snow through the higher elevations of the mountains all around us. It’s still green down below the timberline – but the thin white blanket on the ridges above is the first warning that Fall is a very short season here.
Up high the color of the Aspens are supposed to be around their peak this week. It’s different than the Fall colors in North Carolina where you have the reds, yellows, oranges, browns and greens as the trees prepare to shed their leaves. Here it’s yellow – brilliant yellow – a yellow so bright that when the sun hits a mountainside covered in Aspen it seems to glow.
We are heading up to the high country today – it’s a Thursday and the store is closed. We’re ready to get our lungs full of that cold, thin mountain air – and an eye full of Colorado in the Fall. It won’t last long – soon the tiny yellow leaves will be just a memory and the only color left will be the green of the Fir and the Ponderosa Pine, and the dull blue of the Spruce – covered in deep drifts of white – frozen as if preserved until the Spring thaw.
Gotta go for now – gotta head up high and see it before the west wind of winter blows it all back east.

UP AND RUNNING…

Well, it finally opened – “Touch of Grace” antiques and art gallery officially opened on Thursday, September 17! We had a great week – not so much great financially – but just a great time! People were excited to see the transition in the building. They browsed through the art gallery and bought a few nice antiques. We have found out that the days go by quickly in the store – people are always in and out – talking and sharing stories. It amazes us to find out where they are all from – Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Indiana – but mostly Denver and Colorado Springs (just down for the day). When our day is over we realize how tired we are – but it’s a good tired – ‘cause she’s finally up and running.

BROKEN ARM…

Just wanted all of our friends who check this blog early in the morning that Freita is in the hospital awaiting surgery. She fragmented her radius at the wrist joint and will have surgery tomorrow morning. Pray!

TO MAGNIFY… revisited

I’ve often pondered the scriptures that say, “Oh, magnify the Lord.”, and wondered – What exactly does it mean to magnify?  It’s not about making God bigger than he is.  It’s not about making God look bigger than he is – or even seem bigger than he is.  So what does it mean?  How can I magnify the Lord?

Jason, a friend of mine pointed out the writings of John Piper.  “David said, “I will magnify God with Thanksgiving.” The word “magnify” can be used in two different senses. It can mean: make something appear greater than it is, as with a microscope or a magnifying glass. Or it can mean, make something that may seem small or insignificant appear to be as great as it really is. This is what our great telescopes help us begin to do with the magnificent universe which once upon a time spilled over from the brim of God’s glory. So there are two kinds of magnifying: microscope magnifying and telescope magnifying. The one makes a small thing look bigger than it is. The other makes a big thing begin to look as big as it really is.
When David says, “I will magnify God with thanksgiving,” he does not mean: “I will make a small God look bigger than He is. He means: “I will make a big God begin to look as big as He really is.” We are not called to be microscopes, but telescopes. Christians are not called to be con-men who magnify their product out of all proportion to reality when they know the competitor’s product is far superior. There is nothing and nobody superior to God. And so the calling of those who love God is to make his greatness begin to look as great as it really is. The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think and act in a way that will make God look as great as He really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God.”

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind when we hear the word “magnify” is a magnifying glass.  If fact – It’s something that I have come to need from time to time – more often as the year seem to mount up behind me.  A magnifying glass does not make the object bigger than it is.  In fact it doesn’t change the shape or size – or the true nature of the object at all.  The only thing that it changes is the way that I see the object!  It enables me to see it more clearly – the details of the object that is close to me.  It helps me to see and therefore understood better.

The other thing that Piper mentions in his writing is a telescope.  It, like a magnifying glass, does not change the object at all.  But, it enables me to see more clearly – an object that may be far away.

I am finally beginning to see.  I am beginning to get a new – fresh understanding of what the scriptures might be talking about.  I agree with Piper on the point about telescopes – but I disagree with him on his point about magnifying glasses.  OOf course we are to help others to see – clearly – a God from whom they may be far removed – like a telescope.  But we are also to help others to see – clearly – and in detail – a God who is so very close – like a magnifying glass.

Be both – “Oh, magnify the Lord with me.” (Psalm 34:3)

Thanks for the comment Jason!

IN HIS WAY…

Psalm 37:23 says that, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord.” I believe that speaks of the path, the way, or the journey that God has laid out for us to walk. It is always our choice whether or not to walk in it – to be in “His way” – or to go our own. But when we choose His path, when we choose to be on His journey, in “His way” – there are so many wonderful surprises. One thing leads to another – and boredom is never a problem!
This past year was filled with many surprises – new mountains to climb, new valleys to traverse, and new rivers to ford. Only a year ago (August 15, 2008) I was recuperating (or trying to) from surgery on my right shoulder in our little cottage in the mountains of North Carolina. I would spend the next four months recovering the strength in that arm.
But then last Saturday night (August 15, 2009 – exactly one year after my surgery) I found myself sitting, no longer in the mountains of North Carolina – but in our newly renovated apartment in Florence, Colorado – teaching the first Bible study – as we plant a new church, Summit. It is truly amazing to look back and trace the steps that God has led us to take in this past year: First, we were led to consider moving to Colorado – so, we booked a flight to Denver – drove to Canon City (pronounced “Canyon City”) – met with people to talk about church planting needs – traveled all over the state, only to be led back to Fremont County – looked at commercial property (Hey, if you’re gonna plant churches, you better find another source of income!) – so we bought a building in Florence – renovated an apartment – moved from North Carolina – jumped through all of the hoops (or at least most of them) to begin a new business – renovated an old building that was built over a hundred years ago (and we are almost finished) – took two separate trips to see our daughter, son-in-law, and new grandbaby overseas – spent many hours on the road traveling back and forth from North Carolina to Colorado – all in the past year – and all for what? All for one purpose – to be sitting in our newly renovated apartment in Florence, Colorado – teaching the first Bible study – as we plant a new church.
God is so cool!