I'm moving

Well, I've been inspired by my good friend David Smith so I'm moving. My new blog will be www.thatsnallfolks.wordpress.com. It's the same great taste in a new package. Thanks for all the comments and reflections you share. You inspire me to follow Christ more closely and are a part of what God is doing in my life.

I'm on a roll. A week ago I locked my keys in my car twice (one time the car was running at it was while meeting a friend for lunch at Jason's Deli.) Friday night I took my family to a cabin at Heber Springs that some friends from Bryant own. About 10 minutes away from the cabin I had the startling revelation that I had left the key to the cabin at home. I called the owner and told him I couldn't look Deana in the eye and tell her what I had done. Deana, bless her heart, did an amazing job keeping her composure. No sarcasm, no shoes flying, no lumps on my head. As it turns out, a neighbor in Heber Springs had a spare key, so we had an amazing time. I've never lived anywhere that the leaves turned orange or brown or any other color due to natural causes.



What a great view of the river. I can't wait to go back and spend some
time fly fishing. There were guys out here catching trout all over
the place.

I have the cutest girls ever!

I think Deana posted this tree on her blog.

There aren't trees that do this in Alaska

or Baytown.

I have a friend whose wife has been in Nicaragua since May adopting a child. It's been a long, arduous, painful and joy-filled journey for this family. While his wife has been in Nicaragua he's been at home with their children here in Little Rock. They have hung in there jumping through all the hoops, cutting through all the red tape, doing everything that's been asked of them just to bring home a child. By the time the wife comes home, it will have been 7 months. I'm not sure I would have hung in there that long. I don't know if I'd have made it. But they cling to the hope that she'll be home by December.

I thought of them as I considered Paul's words in Colossians this morning.

"We thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints - the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel, that has come to you."

Am I so filled by the hope I have in Christ that I act out of love and faith in all aspects of my life?

Real Beauty

God told Samuel to look past the external features he saw in Jesse's oldest son. Instead, God reminded Samuel that he looks at the heart of a person. But we seem obsessed with outward appearances. Here's a link to a site I've found very interesting. It might even be helpful as we help our teenage girls better understand what true beauty really is. The video really hits home about how distorted our view of beauty just might be. Thanks to Mary Beth for the link.

Enough

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never grow hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

" I am the living bread that come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me."

"But everyone who drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

"My food is to do the will of him who sent me."


If I really believe Jesus is who he says he is... if I've really given my life to following him... if I say I have surrendered my life to him... If I really trust that the words he spoke above are true, then why is it that he's not always enough? Even though the things I often turn to for fulfillment always leave me empty, wanting more, why do I keep trying to find meaning and fulfillment in anything other than Christ?

My prayer is for Jesus to simply be enough.

Here's an excerpt from something I read this morning that I'm considering for the day.

"Jesus makes us uncomfortable, causes us to question our daily practices. Jesus' life reminds us of the realities of suffering, hostility, hatred and resistance that often accompany any attempts at living in truth and love."
Mark Yaconelli, Contemplative Youth Ministry

I'm not sure how much of these I've really experienced as a follower of Christ. Maybe that says something about the way I follow.

Did you know that if you buy an F series pick up truck from a dealer in Benton, you'll also get a 12-guage shot gun? I'm feeling more like I'm back home in Alaska. Instead of a 12-guage though, I'd probably get a rifle for moose hunting if this were done in Alaska.

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I have the chance to design a youth room from the studs up. I've inherited two 30x30 rooms and its my decision on how they are to be designed. Those of you who know me well know how creative I am and how interesting this will be. Let's just say I get a lot of input from Deana because I'm just way too predictable when it comes to stuff like this.