May 6, 2011

Yesterday, we went through the whole annual to see where we needed to make corrections.  After school I went to see Frank and Dorothy for a little while, because I didn't have to show the O'Brien house they found another.  Then I came home and we ate and Mary and Ione went with me to the program at school.  DJ's Music and Becky's speech gave a recital, it was very good.  Remember the days of state music contests?  It is this weekend in Minot.

I am reading a very good book about a little boy who had a death experience and he tells his family about heaven.......

Rewards

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master's happiness!"

-Matthew 25:21

Pain and problems do one more thing.  If in our trials we are faithful, suffering
wins us rich rewards in heaven. It's not so much that the resurrection will be wonderful
in spite of all our pain-it will be wonderful because of it.

My wheelchair, unpleasant as it may be, is what God uses to dislocate my stubborn
resentment and dislodge my self-centered attitudes. My wheelchair even forces me
 to be more faithful to Him. The more faithful I am to Him, the more rewards are
 stored up in heaven. Earthly sufferings don't simply aid us today: They will serve
us in eternity.

Oh, to hear my Master say on that resurrection morning, "Well done good and faithful
servant! You have been faithful in trusting through the trials ... in obeying despite
the hardship ... in believing through the doubts. Now come and share your Master's
happiness!"

Join me, will You? Yield to God's method of operating, His plan in your suffering.
Allow your suffering to get you ready for the hereafter, permit it to prepare you
to meet God, use it to build eternal rewards ... then the hope of complete spiritual,
emotional, mental, and physical resurrection will throb in your heart with vibrancy.

And then, maybe after a short while in eternity, you and I will enjoy a game of
tennis on the courts of heaven.

Master, I want to hear You say to me, "Well done! I know that's only possible if
 I persevere through my trials by Your grace. Help me to be faithful in these few
things today. Help me to look forward to greater things in eternity.

listening to God

God does desire to speak to us.  When I was in the cafe, I frequently would pray and ask God do you really want me to be here?  I never felt that I had a clear answer to leave.  One day I was in Devils lake, I had just gotten a piece of pizza from KMart and was sitting in the red van, when God spoke to me.  No, I didn't hear anything audibly but inside of me I had this beautiful sense that I was to do something, it it was very clear what it was.  So I went home and did just exactly what he said, within a week I was done at the cafe.  In three or so weeks, Ronna and her children came home.  Later in 1997, or the summer after the flood I was walking down the road west of our house, and again God spoke in my heart.  This time he said,  you are done with 4-H and with coordinating exchange students.  I gave up those things and that fall, John, Jacqui and the girls came to live with us.
    Now I did have times in my life when I feel that God spoke to me, but I didn't listen.  Then I experienced problems,  and I am sorry if they affected any of you.  It is sometimes hard to give in to what God knows is best to you.
    In the night, Saturday, God nudged my heart and told me I wasn't to cook at camp.  I tried to push the thought out of my mind, but it was there to stay.  By morning, I knew that I had to be obedient.  After church I told Jack and Julie and I know they don't necessarily understand because they know this is something I really enjoy doing.  I have talked to Jay and Paula.  It is official that someone else will take my place.  I can't say that I haven't felt sad, but I know that God is in it.  There have been things this  week that have  been helping me to see God's hand.  I haven't closed the door on my love for camp or being involved there, but not the way it has been. By spring and summer, I will know what God has in mind.
    I feel that each of you needs to know about this.  Listening to God isn't always easy, but being obedient brings with it great rewards.

camp

Dear family, I'm sorry I just don't get time to write at camp atleast not every day.  This week we had 16-18 year olds, and this was the largest camp we have had for that age.  It was special to see young people that you have watched come to camp since they were really young.  For some this is their last year, they have graduated and some are leaving for the military.  There were new campers, too.  I had a wonderful crew in the kitchen, they didn't stay all week so there were changes, but it went really good.  They were good eaters so not any left overs.  Friday, Gabe Damschen rode home with me, we stopped in Devils lake to do errands, and saw Frank and Dorothy, so we had lunch together.  Today, we went to Park river to get the airplane, and I did a bit of shopping, the have some really nice stores there.  We mowed O'Brien lawn, and later dad mowed at missile.  I planted more plants, herbs this time.  I had to water them this evening.  Tomorrow the plan is to go to Fargo to see Mary ann Lewis she was a missionary who use to come to our house.