Sunshine and Rain

It seems that the weather here cannot decide what it wants to do. We have had some incredible sunny days with beautiful sunshine...followed by some gray, cold and dreary days, some accompanied with cold rain or snow. So- we never know how we will have to dress tomorrow! Should we pull out the flip flops? We think yes- and then they call for snow! Sounds like virginia!

We had a fun week this week-- my parents came in last saturday (13th) and they left yesterday. Karis was happy to see more people from back home. She was all smiles while they were here, and sad when they left. We are trying to get back into a regular routine now that the grandparents visits have passed:) It was so nice to see them though:) Kind of like a visit home.

This week we got 2 great messages--one from Casey sunday night and then one from Missy on Wednesday night. Mrs. Karen, Chosen and Damon left last friday morning to head to conway, arkansas for a conference they are a part of yearly called "The Unlimited Realm" The conference was supposed to be fri-sunday, but because so many people got saved and healed and baptized, they pushed the meetings over through last night!!! They have had hundreds saved and baptized. Marriages restored. Healing taking place. How amazing to meet Jesus! What an exciting report from conway!! The Lord is moving in a mighty way in our nation!!!

Casey spoke sunday night about the ten lepers who Jesus healed. If you read the passage in mark, it says that as they (the lepers) went to the priest, they were made clean. Then after being made clean one of the men turned back and went to Jesus, thanking him. After thanking Jesus, the scripture says that that man was made whole. What is the difference in those that were made clean and the one that was made whole? Casey said that when we are made clean our sins (leprosy) are washed away. We are made clean, but the damage that has been done is still evident in our lives. For example, of you had leprosy, perhaps your hand or foot got eaten away by the disease. If you were made clean, yes, the leprosy would be gone but your hand would still be missing. You would live somewhat handicapped because of something that used to define. Although it no longer rules your life, you are still affected by it. But, in Jesus we can be made whole. When the one man went back to Jesus, he was made whole. There was no trace of leprosy left in his life!! Lord Jesus, that you would come in and make us whole--functioning as you intended!!

On wednesday night, missy spoke about being a highway for Jesus. In the same way that God is preparing the earth for the return of his son, Jesus, by raising up a godly generation holy and set a part for him, satan is also preparing the earth for the anti-christs arrival, by raising up a generation satuated in humanism ready to usher him in. We have to remember daily, moment by moment that we are in a battle, not with flesh and blood, but in the spirit realm. There is a fight for highways to be made. In our generation secular humanism is flourishing in our colleges- discipling a whole generation!! As well as in colleges, humanism has crept its way into the church. We have this idea that man is sufficient. Man can think it. Man can do it. And a lot of the time, Jesus' name is rarely heard. As long as seats are full and tithes are being paid, the truth is somewhat irrelevant. We are living in an age where there is no absolute truth. "Whats ok for you may not be ok for me. What is truth to me, wont be truth to my children. There is not just one way to God. There is no higher being or thinking than that of man. Man is the measure of all things" This way of thinking is running rampant across our nation. But the Lord will have victory...and I want to be with Him. Your reading of the word.Your fasting. Your praying. Although it may seem insignificant, it is preparing a highway for the Lord. When you get to know him and then allow him to live through you, the way will be made.

We love you all so much! Thank you all for your unceasing prayers and giving...

Lord taht we would live upside down..poured our for you.

Old Cars and a Light Bulb

Hi Friends!

Again-I have slacked on the posting. Erics parents came in on Thursday, we just have been getting ready for them to come and then enjoying the company. Karis was happy to see them, as were we. We were lucky to get 2 really pretty days this weekend with sunshine! They left yesterday morning and made it back to VA last night. My parents are coming on saturday, so we are looking forward to seeing them:) Here are some pics from this weekend. Karis is growing like a weed!

We had lots of fun play time outside in the sunshine. The old thread is a fun find we got at a little shop in town that Damons parents own. I was so excited when I found it--old wooden spools and some really old wooden crotchet hooks. Its upstairs in the sewing/prayer room, in a glass container, just for decoration. It looks lovely beside my huge jar of buttons Eric gave me for valentines.

We are in the process of getting some of the messages from the last couple of weeks. If you would be interested in having some of them, send me an email with your address and we'll work something out.

I'm sure you are wondering what the post title has to do with this blog today. So far...nothing. But I am about to explain old cars and a lightbulb.

Last night after Karis went to bed eric and I were flipping through the channels on TV and were finding nothing to watch. We passed a channel with these two men arriving at a location that was full of old junk. I told him to turn the channel back...i have recently become quite interested in old stuff, and how I can change it to make it new, but still look old. So- we are watching these two guys walking around all this junk, eventually getting to what looks like an old car graveyard. At that point, I become somewhat disinterested in the show...I dont really care about old cars. As I listened to what they were saying though, a light buld turned on. *Don't you love those moments, when you have no expectations of getting a revelation but..*DING*...the light comes on!

They were looking at this specific chrome part on the hood of this old car...(I have no clue what part it was--I guess its not really necessary to know anyway). One of the guys was noting that He would rather come and find an original old part on a car out of a junkyard to replace a part on his car, than to buy a reproduction that someone manufactured today. He said theres just something about having the real original part. He then went on to say though, that because so many people are using parts that are just "reproductions" the cars rebuilt with the real parts have lost their value. Car owners would rather not go through the trouble of the seeking, hunting and removing the original parts because its inconvenient, when they could just order a reproduction.

***What I am about to say, hopefully will not be offensive. Please note that I am not saying that the Church is in a helpless state or that all parts of the body are operating like this...but recognizing that there are problems out there is important to how we pray. How we operate as the body. For me, it magnifies things in me that are out of order. Hopefully, that self examination never ends. ***

*Light Bulb*--- this sounds like the church. We want what we have to look original...but we don't want to take the time or make the investment in searching out the real thing because its inconvenient. Are our Sunday mornings, our wedesday nights and our ministries replacing the real Jesus in our everyday lives? Have we settled for just getting togther ministries that look right, but have no authentic depth of relationship with the creator? Have become so accustomed with a reproduction, that we wouldn't recognize the real thing if we saw it? Maybe we wouldn't even be interested in whats real, because we have become satisfied at our cheap imitation of the real thing that costs us little. In reality, the cost of covenant with Jesus is our lives. Our time. It's setting our alarm clock. It's opening the word. It's learning to speak with Him constantly. I know for me, my life doesn't look that laid down. Unfortunately, I still am most concerned with me.

Although a little harsh, the truth is that the majority of us enjoy the imitation. In our human brains we think the way we are doing it is easier that the cost of submission and relationship. It 's a lot easier to depend on the "pastor" to do the seeking and the searching for us and to just enjoy what they've found on Sunday. The Lord is looking for people who will worship Him. Not because of what He can give you, not because you need something, but to worship Him because of who He is. The seeking, the searching, the hunting...although at times inconvenient and difficult...the process and discipline in what brings true revelation of Jesus in our lives.

Lord- make us a bride that is living in covenant with you. Jesus- that we would seek you first...YOU. Not ministry. Not full churches. But you. Holy Spirit come and lead us. We can't do it. We don't want to keep trying to do it. We are tired of fighting to make things work. You are the only one who can fufill us. You are the only one who can bring increase. Show us the parts of our relationship with you that are cheap counterfits of the real thing. You are all we need Jesus.

Until next time... seek whats real. Chase Jesus. Hunt for Him. He is worth it!