FOR THOSE ASK ING FOR AN UPDATE. MOST OF THE DAY IS SPENT HORIZONTAL. 5 TO 7 MORE WEEKS OF NO PRESSURE ON THAT LEG. P.T. 2 TO 3 HOUR PER DAY. WORKING ON TRANSFER FROM BED TO CHAIR.. BEGINNING TO SENSE GOD SPEAKING TO ME THROUGH THE CHALLENGES. MORE ON THAT LATER.
EMOTIONALLY DOING WELL AS LONG AS MY FOCUS IS HIM, DAY TO DAY.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thanks for...
IT'S SUCH A DICOTOMY. LYING IN A REHAB HOPITAL, 18 METAL STAPLES HOLDING MY SKIN TOGETHER OVER A METAL PLATE AND SCREWS. PLANS DASHED TO BEGIN BUILDING A POLE BARN AND OUR HOUSE ON THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ACREAGE IN THE SOUTH. ALL THE WHILE GRETCHEN AND HER FAMILY ARE HERE, CELEBRATING THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND WITH THE BURWICKS JUNIOR AND WILLIAMS.
THE KEY IS FOCUS. THE CIRCUMSTANCES AREN'T CONDUCIVE TO A THANKFUL SPIRIT. FOCUS: IT IS A WARM BUILDING. SOME ARE HOMELESS WITH NO RELATIONAL OR PHYSICAL WARMTH.
FOCUS: LOOK AT HOW MUCH I HAVE FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL. THE LIST IS TOO LONG TO ILLUCIDATE UPON HERE.
FOCUS: THANKS ABBA PAPA
THE KEY IS FOCUS. THE CIRCUMSTANCES AREN'T CONDUCIVE TO A THANKFUL SPIRIT. FOCUS: IT IS A WARM BUILDING. SOME ARE HOMELESS WITH NO RELATIONAL OR PHYSICAL WARMTH.
FOCUS: LOOK AT HOW MUCH I HAVE FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL. THE LIST IS TOO LONG TO ILLUCIDATE UPON HERE.
FOCUS: THANKS ABBA PAPA
Monday, November 22, 2010
Burwick where are you?
I'm lying in a Northern Kentucky hospital.
Mentally: frazzled. DONT KNOW WHAT PRECIPITATED THE JOURNEY... OTHER THAN I AWAKENED NEAR MY FOUR WHEELER WHICH WAS SNUGGLED UP AGAINST SOME BRSUSH AND TREES. MY DEER HUNTING GUN LAY BESIDE ME. I HAD CRAWLED ABOUT 50 FEET, HAULING MY BROKEN LEG UP A HILL HOPING TO REACH SOMEONE BEFORE IT GOT DARK. SUDDENLY RECALLED MY CELL PHONE IN MY POCKET. 'DIALED THERESA.
FRIDAY NIGHT IS TYPICALLY DATE NIGHT. THIS NOW HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE DATE FROM HELL. THE ER WOULDN'T GIVE ME MEDICAL RELIEF UNTIL THERE WAs THOROUGH EXANINATION.
TRANSFERRED TO A REHAB HOSPITAL. fINALLY RECEIVED MORPHINE. WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH. FOUGHT THE PAIN FROM THE BROKEN TIBULA PLATEAU WHICH IS NOW BEING HELD TOGETHER BY A METAL PLATE WITH 17 INCH SHOP SCREWS - WELL THEY FEEL THAT LONG.
OF COURSE MOST HAVE FELT THE PAIN OF CONSTIPATION.
THEN AT THE PROPER TIME IS MUST ASK MY LOVING ABBA PAPA,"WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THIS EXPERIENCE. WHY AND HOW DOES GOD WANT TO USE THIS IN MY LIFE DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH BEOKENNES? 2 COR.12 9-11
Mentally: frazzled. DONT KNOW WHAT PRECIPITATED THE JOURNEY... OTHER THAN I AWAKENED NEAR MY FOUR WHEELER WHICH WAS SNUGGLED UP AGAINST SOME BRSUSH AND TREES. MY DEER HUNTING GUN LAY BESIDE ME. I HAD CRAWLED ABOUT 50 FEET, HAULING MY BROKEN LEG UP A HILL HOPING TO REACH SOMEONE BEFORE IT GOT DARK. SUDDENLY RECALLED MY CELL PHONE IN MY POCKET. 'DIALED THERESA.
FRIDAY NIGHT IS TYPICALLY DATE NIGHT. THIS NOW HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE DATE FROM HELL. THE ER WOULDN'T GIVE ME MEDICAL RELIEF UNTIL THERE WAs THOROUGH EXANINATION.
TRANSFERRED TO A REHAB HOSPITAL. fINALLY RECEIVED MORPHINE. WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH. FOUGHT THE PAIN FROM THE BROKEN TIBULA PLATEAU WHICH IS NOW BEING HELD TOGETHER BY A METAL PLATE WITH 17 INCH SHOP SCREWS - WELL THEY FEEL THAT LONG.
OF COURSE MOST HAVE FELT THE PAIN OF CONSTIPATION.
THEN AT THE PROPER TIME IS MUST ASK MY LOVING ABBA PAPA,"WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THIS EXPERIENCE. WHY AND HOW DOES GOD WANT TO USE THIS IN MY LIFE DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH BEOKENNES? 2 COR.12 9-11
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
HOPE equals Joy and Peace
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
This, one of my favorite verses, doesn't mean as much til needed... til a "hopeless" situation stares you (me) in the face. The county zoning man likes to throw his weight around and is actually violating the county code when he told us we cant build ( on 54 acres with just one house currently on it). Hopeless? Don't know. Seems like it (with two other cases somewhat similar to ours now in the state supreme court.)
I love my wife and I'm grateful for the little fifth wheel we inhabit, but a traffic light is needed in the narrow aisle at the corner of bathroom on the left and stove on the right. As I focus on the circumstances am I filled with joy and peace? NYET I have a tinge of guilt because many in the world have far less in the realm of living accommodations. And a little frustration with the zoner man. As I focus on God (and do what is appropriate to meet this man's psycho-neurotic expectation) the results are joy and peace because my HOPE is in HIM. An activity not conjured up in my ability, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hope: our joyful and confident expectation of good coming from the hand of CreatorAbba PaPa (ROmans 8:28).
Would appreciate your prayers in this matter.
This, one of my favorite verses, doesn't mean as much til needed... til a "hopeless" situation stares you (me) in the face. The county zoning man likes to throw his weight around and is actually violating the county code when he told us we cant build ( on 54 acres with just one house currently on it). Hopeless? Don't know. Seems like it (with two other cases somewhat similar to ours now in the state supreme court.)
I love my wife and I'm grateful for the little fifth wheel we inhabit, but a traffic light is needed in the narrow aisle at the corner of bathroom on the left and stove on the right. As I focus on the circumstances am I filled with joy and peace? NYET I have a tinge of guilt because many in the world have far less in the realm of living accommodations. And a little frustration with the zoner man. As I focus on God (and do what is appropriate to meet this man's psycho-neurotic expectation) the results are joy and peace because my HOPE is in HIM. An activity not conjured up in my ability, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hope: our joyful and confident expectation of good coming from the hand of CreatorAbba PaPa (ROmans 8:28).
Would appreciate your prayers in this matter.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Trust Rest Watch God
"Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so..." is probably the most significant song or one of the most significant songs written, supporting Scripture. Jesus loves me, period. Don't have to perform for that love. He loves me. For a perfomance oriented norwegian/estonian that is becoming even greater news. "Be responsible, Ray, but relax and enjoy relationships. Then, watch Me engineer circumstances in your life that will be impossible to perform. Trust me to do for you what you can't do yourself."
2 Chronicles looms big in this arena. Jehosaphat is faced with an ovewhelming sized army. Defeat is inevitable. He calls for a nationwide fasting and prayer. He is told "this battle is not yours but God's. Stand still and see the deliverance of the Lord."
He is also told that if he believes in the Lord, remains obedient, he will prosper. /the invading armies turn on themselves and kill each other. Judah claimed the spoils. "Jesus loves me this I know."
Got any circumstances that seem insurmountable? We do. But we want to learn from Jehosaphat. Trust. Rest. And watch the Lord do what we can't in ourselves do. We'll keep you posted.
2 Chronicles looms big in this arena. Jehosaphat is faced with an ovewhelming sized army. Defeat is inevitable. He calls for a nationwide fasting and prayer. He is told "this battle is not yours but God's. Stand still and see the deliverance of the Lord."
He is also told that if he believes in the Lord, remains obedient, he will prosper. /the invading armies turn on themselves and kill each other. Judah claimed the spoils. "Jesus loves me this I know."
Got any circumstances that seem insurmountable? We do. But we want to learn from Jehosaphat. Trust. Rest. And watch the Lord do what we can't in ourselves do. We'll keep you posted.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Kentucky tidbits
If I am understanding Romans 8:28-29 accurately, God's desire for followers of Jesus 'Christ is to realize that He accompplishes his plan to make us more like Christ "through all things". And that is a "less/more deal." Less of the self-life and more of the Christ life.
God's game plan appears to be an engineering of circumsttandes to reveal that about us that needs "less." Through loss, or pain, or stretching of some sort we are made aware of a less than Godly attitude or behavior. Self-centeredness, an angry spirit, fear, insecurity,worry etc. Follow this with a repentant spirit - no excusing or no denial. Just a simple, "that is not a Christ-like spirit, forgive me Lord. That must become less as You replace it with your holy life, Father."
Kentucky is providing a less/ more opportunity for me. Living in an 8 by 16 cubicle, hauling water in a 350 gallon tank, digging a hole in which our blackand gray water is dumped, no valuable Idaho friends with which to fellowship, no obvious ministry or any performance opp, plus more that is too personal to mentiona here - all being used by God to revceal fears, insecurities, selfishnesses, impatience that must become less so that God can fill me with more of Himself, i.e. the Galatians 5 fruit of the spirit. Praise the Lord that He is in the life transforming business,
On the lighter side, our cell phone service is quite spotty, resulting in broken contacts while speaking. Speaking on the phone is much more difficult for the stutterer. I frequently hear the words, "man, your cell phone is breaking up badly." When the issue is really a normal stutter blockage producing the silence.
Please pray that the county zoning official will approve of our building plan. He is known to be very obstinate.
Like our propane delivery man says (very slowly), "ahm just an ol'' kentucky heall beally.}
God's game plan appears to be an engineering of circumsttandes to reveal that about us that needs "less." Through loss, or pain, or stretching of some sort we are made aware of a less than Godly attitude or behavior. Self-centeredness, an angry spirit, fear, insecurity,worry etc. Follow this with a repentant spirit - no excusing or no denial. Just a simple, "that is not a Christ-like spirit, forgive me Lord. That must become less as You replace it with your holy life, Father."
Kentucky is providing a less/ more opportunity for me. Living in an 8 by 16 cubicle, hauling water in a 350 gallon tank, digging a hole in which our blackand gray water is dumped, no valuable Idaho friends with which to fellowship, no obvious ministry or any performance opp, plus more that is too personal to mentiona here - all being used by God to revceal fears, insecurities, selfishnesses, impatience that must become less so that God can fill me with more of Himself, i.e. the Galatians 5 fruit of the spirit. Praise the Lord that He is in the life transforming business,
On the lighter side, our cell phone service is quite spotty, resulting in broken contacts while speaking. Speaking on the phone is much more difficult for the stutterer. I frequently hear the words, "man, your cell phone is breaking up badly." When the issue is really a normal stutter blockage producing the silence.
Please pray that the county zoning official will approve of our building plan. He is known to be very obstinate.
Like our propane delivery man says (very slowly), "ahm just an ol'' kentucky heall beally.}
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
"DEEPER DEATH"
Piggy-backing on yesterday's blog, if you didn't read Russ's comment, you'd get a kick out of his humor and his high level challenge to me.
As I re-read a description of my identity crisis shown in yesterday's blog, it appears that God may have me on a fast track to what some people call a "deeper death." Death to self-focus to be more God and others centered. Os Hillman describes it well in his blog
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:24-26).
God is all about your death so that HIS success can be realized through you! This is why the Church is having such little impact - there are too many believers who have not yet died to their old nature so that Christ can live fully through them. When believers come to the end of themselves they will lose their lives to Him and live through the power of the Holy Spirit and begin to see the reality of a living gospel that impacts lives, workplaces, cities and nations.
"Much of modern Christian enterprise is 'Ishmael.' Born not of God, but of an inordinate desire to do God's will in our own way - the one thing our Lord never did," said Oswald Chambers. The psalmist describes what it means to live in our own strength:
"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves" (Ps 127:1-2).
How does one die so that Christ can be our all and all? It usually takes a crisis of significant proportions for most people to relinquish the control of their lives. It means we come to the end of ourselves and our striving to control the events in our lives and we finally come to the place where we can say, "Lord, I surrender. Please take full control of my life."
As I re-read a description of my identity crisis shown in yesterday's blog, it appears that God may have me on a fast track to what some people call a "deeper death." Death to self-focus to be more God and others centered. Os Hillman describes it well in his blog
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:24-26).
God is all about your death so that HIS success can be realized through you! This is why the Church is having such little impact - there are too many believers who have not yet died to their old nature so that Christ can live fully through them. When believers come to the end of themselves they will lose their lives to Him and live through the power of the Holy Spirit and begin to see the reality of a living gospel that impacts lives, workplaces, cities and nations.
"Much of modern Christian enterprise is 'Ishmael.' Born not of God, but of an inordinate desire to do God's will in our own way - the one thing our Lord never did," said Oswald Chambers. The psalmist describes what it means to live in our own strength:
"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves" (Ps 127:1-2).
How does one die so that Christ can be our all and all? It usually takes a crisis of significant proportions for most people to relinquish the control of their lives. It means we come to the end of ourselves and our striving to control the events in our lives and we finally come to the place where we can say, "Lord, I surrender. Please take full control of my life."
Monday, November 1, 2010
Just BE, Ray
WHERE AM I?
The Penske truck sits in the front yard of our daughter Kristin's house, 2/3 unloaded in her basement. Remainder goes into a storage unit here.Theresa and I are snuggled into our 21 foot fifth wheel, with actual living space 8 feet by16. Close quarters indeed. We are scattered with "stuff" lin three places here and two storage units are filled inNampa. Consequently, "where is the ---?' is a frequent verbal and nonverbal exchange lately.
WHO Am i ?
Oh, I know all the right answers...child of God, one with Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, husband to Theresa, father of three, etc. etc. But, as bare bones are being exposed (identity based on 'stuff' is shot, can't find most of it anyway). no performance for ID; no Nampa+based friendships. I know God has calledT and I to a grandparenting ministry - but how do you do that?There are books written detailing activities with grandkids, But the transformation from a self-focused performance-oriented rascal to one with a heart for the kids = just to be with them, just to BE, that is the challenge.
Barn to build. House to build. Fences to CONSTRUCT. Just "Be", Ray. Just BE. It seems as though God is directing me tothe quiet place, where I can hear Him better.
The Penske truck sits in the front yard of our daughter Kristin's house, 2/3 unloaded in her basement. Remainder goes into a storage unit here.Theresa and I are snuggled into our 21 foot fifth wheel, with actual living space 8 feet by16. Close quarters indeed. We are scattered with "stuff" lin three places here and two storage units are filled inNampa. Consequently, "where is the ---?' is a frequent verbal and nonverbal exchange lately.
WHO Am i ?
Oh, I know all the right answers...child of God, one with Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, husband to Theresa, father of three, etc. etc. But, as bare bones are being exposed (identity based on 'stuff' is shot, can't find most of it anyway). no performance for ID; no Nampa+based friendships. I know God has calledT and I to a grandparenting ministry - but how do you do that?There are books written detailing activities with grandkids, But the transformation from a self-focused performance-oriented rascal to one with a heart for the kids = just to be with them, just to BE, that is the challenge.
Barn to build. House to build. Fences to CONSTRUCT. Just "Be", Ray. Just BE. It seems as though God is directing me tothe quiet place, where I can hear Him better.
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