I don't think we should be over-reactive to various things that happen in the news. Too often people jump at some latest thing as a sign that we are about to plunge over the brink into the end times. I believe that we have been slowing taking step after step towards the end and that when we focus on any one big thing, we miss the quiet trends that will really matter. With that in mind, I thought this article was very interesting. I have wondered for awhile if the global economic crisis was not only another "birth pang" but also would be a spring-board to set up some of the structures I believe will be part of the future end-times scenario. So don't get all alarmist or Henny-Penny, but take note of interesting trends in our world. Here's the LINK.

I was working through some thoughts this afternoon after feeling disturbed by someone's reaction to me. I was in a situation where I was bothered by how someone was reacting to me and treating me. And this a fellow Christian. I was troubled and feeling unsettled because my desire is to be "ok" with everyone and despite my efforts, I was not "ok" with this person. So I thought about it ...too much. And then I realized. My picture was too small. I had allowed this person, by their rejection of me, to define my emotions for the afternoon as well as my feelings of ministry. This after a great day in which we saw 6 people follow the Lord in believer's baptism. Where we saw the church family come together to celebrate and worship together what the Lord is doing in lives. Where we had a great time worshiping and learning together in the morning service this am. Sunday School reminded us that God is the one who determines our days. In the wake of all the bad things that can happen, there is a ton of things right now that are good that God is doing. So why am I consumed with one or two (or even three) people who won't react to me well? My picture got too small. I allowed one person, or one situation to be my world. Or at least to color it. God is bigger than us. We need the big picture. When dealing with tragedy, we need to look at the big picture. When dealing with death, you have to have the big picture. When Tony DeMillo and Ben Ellis died, the only way to cope with it was to look at the big picture. One day we will see them again. So why don't I do that now? If I have Christian brothers or sisters who right now refuse to listen, or respond, or work to reconcile, why let that become my world? Do what I can and then step back and look at the big picture. There are many places where God would have me minister and many people who want to be ministered to. The day is coming when we will all be together in heaven as one body of Christ and we will all be reconciled. That's my big picture. I need to remember this when my pictures get small. Like they did this afternoon. I think they call this...perspective. :)

On Thursday evening at the LOT, Nate shared the passage from James that talks about how we are but a vapor and we don't know what a day will bring forth so we shouldn't boast about tomorrow. Then Friday Terri has a stroke. Very sobering. It is hard to know what to do in the situation. I have been spending as much time at the farm as I can. I was going to go down to Portland to the hospital today but one of the girls recommended I wait. We are praying very hard. This has been very emotional for myself and many friends. I can't imagine what the girls are going through. I continue to be saddened when I encounter Christians who can't seem to get past grudges. I am looking forward to the baptism tomorrow. Church doesn't seem real for tomorrow yet. It doesn't feel like Saturday night. With everything that has gone on in the last 24+ hours, I'm all thrown off. Nate did a great job with the 30 Hour Famine. I had intended to do the whole thing, but circumstances intervened. Gotta go to bed early tonight. I'm exhausted and there's that time change. I can't begin to imagine life without God. Barbi and I talked about that today a little. Life can be hard to cope with at times, and that is with the knowledge that some day this will all be over and heaven awaits. If you don't have that, and you can't turn to God and talk to Him and know that you are in His arms...I don't know how you cope. I still need to post something on the DR trip. I also still need to upload my pics to Josh's site. I miss the DR and wish we could go back sooner. It was such a great experience. During the food drive today I went out with one of the groups. It was great to just see people, even for a couple of minutes. It was like power-visitation. I have been doing a lot more visitation and meeting with people, but there are so many more I haven't gotten to. Well, a little down-time and I'm going to bed.

It is a snowy day but not a snow day. Actually, the snow meant that I worked today instead of taking the day off. Sarah didn't go to work today because of the weather and will go in tomorrow, so I will take tomorrow off to take care of the kids while she is at work. It has been a day of more time on the phone and less time getting things studied or written. At some point this evening I should go out and snowblow. I've held of doing it because it is so windy. I haven't written anything much on the blog about the Dominican Trip. In fact, I have done a pretty poor job keeping up on the blog since I got back. The more visiting I get in, the more you realize how the church is just too big for one or two people to keep up with everyone. As attendance has risen, so is our need to really be taking care of each other. It never was supposed to be just the job of the leadership and now it can't be. I am so thankful for how well our church is doing on this. We still have a ways to go, but we are moving in the right direction. I am looking forward to the night that Dave and I get to share about our trip to the DR. It really was an awesome trip. It is hard to only go for a week. I am used to long term ministry. I have been at Berea for 20 years and at Bean's Corner for almost 13 years. Building deep relationships over time is the best way to do meaningful ministry (in my humble opinion). I am catching up with this as I get ready to break off work for supper. Micah has dropped into the office to play with the little blocks that I keep up here. He is quite the personality. Sarah and I take such delight in the kids. They can be a lot of work as you focus on training and discipline, but we have already seen the results of stepping up to the plate and fighting the battles early. I remember nights where bedtime was a lot of work as we had to repeatedly climb the stairs to discipline and correct. Now, even though we are up to three kids, we rarely have to go up even once. Many nights we don't have to do anything. Just tuck them in, pray with them, kiss them, and goodnight. They go to sleep. Now we are glad we did the hard work earlier. Discipline, when done consistently and lovingly, works. I am SO appreciating working with Nate. He is a good ministry partner. It is neat to not only work well together, but to be able to be personally close. It is only going to get better as he and Charlene marry and he and I will be able to relate to each other as married men. I am so thankful for the men that I can be personally close to. To have people who ask about how my relationship with Sarah is going and how I am doing personally and who in turn are accountable to me about how their home life is. This is the Biblical accountability that is so valuable when we are open enough to practice it. I am really enjoying studying the Natural Church Development material. There is so much here. It is going to take care and wisdom to know how to roll this out in the best way for the church to grow, but it is going to be so valuable. I can see how the Lord is already setting up this next season in our life as a church. I am excited to have a feeling that we are going somewhere, not just maintaining. I will be speaking at InterVarsity at UMF. Now they are technically called Farmington Christian Fellowship. I enjoyed my time there last week and look forward to another chance to share with them this week. Well, I should wrap this entry up. Just a few Stray Thoughts after too long of no entries. It is good to just empty out the buffer sometimes and write about whatever is on my mind. Helps keep things flowing. Hopefully I will get back here and share some anecdotes from my Dominican Trip as well as more about what I am excited about at church.

I just read an article where a woman is suing Miley Cyrus for what could end up being 4 billion (yes, BILLION) dollars over a picture where apparently Miley and friends make their eyes slanted. Saying that the teens were making fun of Asian/Pacific Islanders, the woman is calling it a Civil Rights violation against all Asian/Pacific Islanders. WOW Now I don't condone making fun of anyone, racial, personal, etc. But how does getting made fun of violate your Civil Rights? And why should getting made fun of qualify you for money. Does that mean that the atheists that make fun of my Bible beliefs have violated my right to religion and should pay me? Should the comedians pay the politicians for the fun they make of them every night. Think of it. Blagoavich would never have to sell another seat with the money he's make from all the people who have made fun of him. Its not nice to make fun of someone with a different ethnic background, disability, different belief, etc. Its not nice to mock or make fun of people. But lighten up. Getting your feelings hurt is not a violation of your rights.