All Things Work Together

On Wednesday as I was running the till for the 4-H Foodstand at the County Fair, I started to run out of $1 bills.  I sent up a quick little prayer - "Lord, send me some ones."   My next customer, Jodi B (the local head of 4-H), handed me eight ones to pay for her meal.  Prompted by the Holy Spirit (maybe?), I told her, "I prayed for ones because I'm running out."  She laughed and replied, "And I was saying, 'Please let me have enough to pay for this whole meal!'"  The Lord uses everything in an intertwined fashion.

Last night one of our children made a little speech telling us that our advice had been followed in a certain area.  (Usually I'm quite specific but this involves others so I won't mention any details.)  I cried happy tears, because I've felt discouraged recently - first, that the kids aren't listening to the Lord and second, that they aren't listening to their dad.  So God answered both those fears in a single incident, plus granted that child a great experience in trusting Him.

Romans 8:28 assures us that "all things work together for those who love God and are called according to his purpose."  I saw the truth of that this week.

Batter Up!

It really has been a summer of watching ball games.  Joel and Daniel played slow-pitch softball for four different teams - two in the Men's League on Monday nights; one in the Co-Rec League on Wednesday nights; and the Svea Gold Team in the Church League on Thursday nights.  Sarah played fast-pitch softball for the Willmar 18U (age 18 and under) team on Tuesday nights, and joined Pete and Andrew on the Svea Bronze Team on Thursdays.  Philip played on the Willmar Twins, a 5th- and 6th-grade team with Willmar Community Ed and Rec.  They practiced on Thursdays and played games on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Except for the church teams, I watched only a few of each softball team's games, but saw most of Philip's games in the last three weeks.  Getting everyone to the right field at the right time provided some interesting exercise in car coordination.  This week Sarah and I stayed home from a Sioux Falls bridal shower for Callie because between meetings and ball games, we needed the extra drivers and car.

Attending and chauffeuring shouldn't cause a problem, but I try to catch up on so many household areas during the summer that going to a ball game every night feels like a chore instead of a privilege.  Cooking has fallen by the wayside, for supper anyway; we've eaten in Willmar (before or after games) far more than usual.  Reorganizing cupboards and systems, purging photo collections, catching up on albums, working on 4-H projects, keeping the kids productive, preparing books to sell, practicing for an August program and tying up loose ends on the spring school work join the usual daily or weekly chores of cooking, cleaning, yard work, money management, exercise, weightlifting, laundry, church activities and ball games to make the summer feel like an exhausting whirl instead of a relaxing vacation.

On the positive side, lots of opportunities for discussions on sportsmanship and excellence have arisen.  The importance of practice and the difference between "illegal" and "unethical" has been demonstrated.  Everyone has made their share of blunders and bloopers, and hopefully learned a little more humility.  And Svea still has the best fans!

His Needle Does Not Move

This phrase - "His needle does not move" - is repeated regularly by a pastor who is counseling us over the phone.   He's referring to God the Father, who, just as the needle of a compass does not move from true north, loves us exactly the same no matter what we do, AND who approves of us exactly the same no matter what we do.  I have trouble believing the latter, because I don't approve of people I love no matter what they do.  But the pastor's point is that none of us has any righteousness in ourselves; "all our righteousness is like filthy rags," because even the best deeds we do are tainted by impure and even wicked motives - a desire to be paid back, to be recognized, to earn God's love, to earn His approval, to prove I'm better than others, to manipulate others, to ....well, you get the idea.  For me, it really is all about me.   So the only righteousness we have in God's eyes is Jesus' righteousness, earned on the cross and given to us freely.  "When He looks at me He sees not what I used to be (and still am) but He sees Jesus," as the song states correctly.  The pastor encourages us to embrace our sin by freely acknowledging sin whenever and wherever the Lord points it out to us, and repenting of it in true humility.  Then we are free to thank God for His forgiveness in Christ, and trust Him that He is working in us to will and to do His good pleasure.  We don't have to try to keep the law or do good works; we simply trust that God is transforming us, and keep walking with Him.  I don't get it all yet, but it does make a lot of Scriptural sense.  More later on how He plays it out in daily life.  Praise God that "His needle does not move."

Busy by Choice

Several things I've read lately have pointed out the trap of busyness and consumerism.  Companies and individuals sell Americans on the idea that more activities and more stuff lead to happiness, and that every person deserves and should strive to attain happiness.  Of course, Jesus talked quite a bit about happiness, but he usually promised that we would gain it if we gave up trying.  "Give and it will be given to you," "He who loses his life will find it," "Happy are you if people persecute you," and "Do as I've done and you'll be happy" sound quite different than "Have it your way," "Just do it" and "Have a Coke and a smile."  Regarding busyness, our prayer group affirmed that whenever we tell people, "Oh, we're so busy," we get nods and smiles and admiration because we're doing so much to make ourselves or others happy.  When is the last time someone replied with "Shame on you - slow down!" ?  

I do believe, however, that if I were able to say to someone, "I'm very relaxed; I only have one thing to do today," I would also receive nods, smiles and admiration - along with "HOW did you DO that?"   I may be able to achieve this in the summer, so that's my new goal - to reach a day with only one thing to do.  For that to happen, I have to finish:

1) History and speech from the spring
2) Reorganization of a number of areas in the house (getting rid of stuff!)
3) Culling and sorting of pictures and videos, and catching up on albums with the kids
4) Wedding preparation
5) County Fair projects completed
6) Program for Prinsburg prepared
7) And I'll have to be caught up on laundry, meal preparation and house cleaning

Sounds daunting, but I believe the Lord would smile if I could focus an entire day on my identity in Him rather than my identity as a "doer."

Warm Weekend

Although the weather cooled down slightly, to seasonal temperatures instead of the sauna we've endured for two weeks, our hearts were warmed by many special events this weekend.  First and foremost, David & Callie spent several days with us.  On Saturday evening, Pete & Kari walked eight miles with the lovebirds and we all exchanged life stories.  What a delight!  There are few things as interesting as learning where someone has come from and what makes them tick.  Much more remains to be learned about Callie, but we certainly know her much better now.

Jeremy & Susan Beebout, Lydia, Elyza and Abigail arrived on Friday for the noon meal and stayed through Saturday breakfast.  They shared stories of how the Lord is providing for their work and their family in Niger, and the children enjoyed playing with the kitten and our big kids.  The Willmar swimming pool provided relief from the heat, at the same time the north wind brought cooler air.

On Saturday morning, several Svea ladies hosted a bridal shower at the church for Callie.   The generosity and warm welcome impressed her.  She got some cool stuff too!  On Sunday morning, Grandma Dee played an arrangement of "This is My Father's World" on the oboe for our special music - beautifully done!  Grandpa treated us to brunch at the Oaks after church - more delicious food.  After naps at home, we swam and went tubing at Scott's with succulent bratwurst and angel food cake for supper.  The swimming pool water feels like a child's bath water, contributing to our Warm Weekend.  Thanks everyone!

Coast to Coast to Prairie

In just over three weeks, Kari and Sarah traveled from Laguna Beach in California to Cocoa Beach in Florida to Bryant, SD (that last is the ultimate tourist destination!).

Our family vacation to California thrilled us all, from Disney

and Hollywood

to the Golden Gate Bridge

 and the redwoods, thanks to the hospitality of Pete's cousins, Chloe & Gary Koslowsky and Russ & Ria Schaefer.  We also enjoyed riding the train again 

and relaxed for a few days at Dana Point.  Pete, Kari, Sarah, Andrew & Philip formed the crew - much smaller than our usual nine-person contingent.  We didn't get any stares or questions like, "Are they all yours??"  At the end of that trip we spent a short time in the frigid waters of the Pacific at Laguna Beach.

Kari, Joel, Daniel and Sarah flew to Orlando with thirteen others from Svea for a volunteer week with Give Kids the World in Kissimmee, a resort for families of children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses.   They work with dozens of wish-granting organizations to provide these families with a week of pure happiness.  Corporations donate money and goods, while volunteers man 1500 shifts per week, cleaning, serving, helping, feeding, playing with and interacting with the children and their families.  Our group provided 153 shifts during the five days we worked, driving 20-30 minutes (each way) twice a day for 3-4 hour periods.

On our off day, we surfed, swam and body-boarded at Cocoa Beach, where the air was almost 100 degrees and the water of the Atlantic was warm enough to spend hours.

Last weekend the Stadem family gathered in Bryant for the bi-annual reunion, with 81 present.  We were able to use the rebuilt (though unfinished) barn, which amazed everyone who entered.  The efforts of Leroy Stadem, Steve Stadem and Bernie Iserman, along with donated labor, time and money by dozens of relatives, have really paid off in a usable and beautiful meeting space.

Now we're ready to be home for a while.  Almost caught up!

We’re All Lawbreakers Now

When laws multiply to the point of insanity, sane people become lawbreakers.  I allowed my 15-year-old permit-only driver to drive alone (in the country for 2.4 miles).  I burn stuff that’s illegal to burn.  I go 5-10 miles over the speed limit regularly.  And so do you.  And we consider ourselves law-abiding citizens – which I very much want to be.  But these laws are driving us crazy! 

Now I’ve discovered a law that takes the cake – literally.  As part of some compromise over church potlucks, the Minnesota Department of Health has put a regulation in place that makes it illegal for fundraising groups or non-church groups to serve food in churches unless at least one server is certified and trains the rest.  This means that our 4-H club members, youth group fund-raising soup lunch servers, and even I, at our confirmation open house party for Andrew in the church basement, have been breaking the law.  Granted, certification is relatively simple – watch a video and complete some handouts – but the principle is still ridiculous, especially when you realize that the 4-H club, which is NOT open to the public or attempting to raise money, could serve food at any other location in the state without consequence.  However, it is a community event in a church and therefore subject to the regulation.

This points out the problem with these ever-increasing laws.  They target one group but invariably shoot another.

Minnesota has recently and rapidly passed another law called “Jacob’s Law,” which requires either parent of a child to notify the other parent if abuse of the child is discovered.  It has exceptions and so forth, but does anyone seriously believe that this won’t make someone, somewhere, a law-breaker in the best interests of their child, because the exceptions don’t cover their particular situation? 

it simply is not true that every bad thing should be “fixed” with a law – and in fact, it will NOT be fixed.  The proliferation of laws simply makes everyone take all the laws less seriously.