Adventure in Middle Grove

2010-03-01T05:34:00.000-05:00

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

Proverbs 4:23, NLT

As we travel through life, guard your heart but don't let it stop you from moving on to a new course in life as I will on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Ya Never Know

2010-02-27T09:53:00.002-05:00

The past few years have been ultimate highs and real lows...

But the last 9 months has brought great joy in seeing my family grow.

Hannah- August
Liam- January
Linnea- February

Not too many times in life will I get to hold 3 babies in 9 months.

God is a great God!

Never Forget

2010-02-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

"Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen...And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren." Deuteronomy 4:9, NLT

I don't feel that old but tomorrow will be the 4th grandchild in my family. 3 babies in the past 8 months.

I hope I have the opportunity to pass on the love God has shown me and the love of other people.

Let me never forget what I have seen on the Adventure in Middle Grove... and pass it on.

Reconcillation

2010-02-22T07:34:00.000-05:00

God has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:19

The price has been paid. The ransom is provided. God's judgment was averted, not because of anything I did to appease him, but by his own sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. If God has gone to such great links to reconcile us to himself and adopt us into his family, how can we refuse? We must not! We must offer you our hearts!

I praise you for your grace, thank you for your love, and promise to share your
mercy while on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

All the Days of Your life

2010-02-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalms 90:12

So often we look up and time has passed us by. The things we promised ourselves we'd accomplish and the deeds we told others we'd do get left undone. Before we know it, days have become weeks, and weeks months, and months years. We find ourselves unable to do
what we once assumed we could do any time we wanted. We must seize the opportunities placed in our path.

Don't wait until it is too late

Please help me see your plans in each of my days and live in a way which not only honors you, but also blesses those you want me to reach on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

2010-02-18T05:26:00.002-05:00

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

Besides food, relationships are something we desire as humans. Separation is something we fear whether it's separation from a child, a parent, a sibling, a spouse, a friend, or from God. Jesus endured separation from God by becoming a human and by going to the cross. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we can know we won't have to ever be separated from God's love. He bore the separation so we would never have to fear it!

Separation and lack of relationships on earth can be a painful experience but nothing will seperate me from the love of God on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Continued love

2010-02-16T05:36:00.005-05:00

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. -- 1 John 3:11

As you probably remember, I can get stuck on a topic or in the activity of life something keeps coming to my mine. The path of life leads to many unexpected turns and twists. Unforeseen obstacles and challenges are always on the path we travel. Looking forward beyond the challenges to continue the journey is the only way to go. Looking at the relationships in life and the challenges they present can provide a formidable speed bump on the path of life. When you look at the disappointment and discouragement in life, only take a quick glance.

Focus on the path ahead and fix your eyes on love as I will on the Adventure on Middle Grove.

I'm BAAACCK

2010-02-16T05:19:00.003-05:00

"Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." Romans 12:9, NLT

Hello to all my Adventurers. I really needed a rest to recharge my thoughts. Much has happened in the last 2 years and I needed to take some time to reflect on many elements in my life.

I thought is was was good place to start where I left off after 18 straight months of writing.

LOVE

Having just passed a "man made" holiday, love is really in the forefront of society. But is it really love?

Love is not a day for flowers.

It is a long term commitment to the good and the bad. It is up holding each other through the good times and the times of struggle. It is understanding the soul.

So, as I begin another segment of the adventure, remember this in your relationships...

REALLY LOVE THEM as I will on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

If you would like to be removed from the list, please let me know as I am working on some email maintenance.

A special message....

2009-12-29T07:36:00.002-05:00

Wow,

I was without computer access for the past 4 days. I had a few messages published automatically but I lost a few days.

Can't believe how much I depend on technology.

I will be taking a break for a week or so. I have been writing the Adventure in Middle Grove non stop for 18 months, The past few days are the first days I have missed in 18 months.

I need some time to recharge my thoughts and start again in a few weeks.

Stay tuned....

Ya never know what will happen!

Rick

It doesn't have to end

2009-12-26T09:22:00.002-05:00

Much of the world celebrates Christmas from a secular point of view and it is a nice day ending at mid-night on the 25th of December.  The best part of Christmas for me is knowing that it never has to end.  Every week should remind me of the great news that God delivered about 2000 years ago.  God sent his Son to minister among his people so I might have my sins forgiven and have fellowship with him.  God gave his Son to make us part of his family, and I share the good news he gave me.  

This is something I need to be reminded of every day.  God gave me the most perfect gift this Christmas and a story that never ends... on this earth.  Thank you Lord for your message of hope on this Christmas day.

  
...This is only the beginning.

A Christmas Message

2009-12-25T09:01:00.000-05:00

To all my friends of the Adventure in Middle Grove

Have a Great Christmas!

link

No Room at the Inn

2009-12-24T05:52:00.000-05:00

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:9

"No room in the inn!" "Placed him in a manger!" So often we play favorites with the rich, beautiful, powerful, and prestigious. Isn't it interesting that God revealed himself as the defender of the widow, the orphan, and the alien and then entered the world as the child of a Jewish carpenter and a young virgin from a small town? God wants us to notice those in need around us. He wants it to be more than an annual good gesture at Christmas. He wants us to be

advocates for the folks like Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. We're not just told to be fair; we're told to defend and to plead the rights of those in need. When we do, we do it for him (see Matthew 25).

Make me more aware of those around me who need love and grace. Make me your instrument to defend them and to serve them. Open my eyes to see the faces of those in need on the Adventure in Middle Grove

The Reality of the Season

2009-12-23T05:38:00.002-05:00

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.And the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:6-9)

The Christmas season is a cacophony of thoughts and emotions in our society!

For some, it's a time of giving and getting, a time to spend more money than should be spent to buy things that nobody really needs. For others, it's a time of quiet religious reflection.

For some, Christmas is a special, family time, sharing precious hours with those that we care about. For others, it's a time of loneliness and hurt.

For some, Christmas is a deeply significant time to remember the birth of Jesus and reflect on the meaning of his coming to earth. For others, it is merely another day, sharing space in the holiday season with Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and New Year's Day.

For some, Christmas is a desperately needed time to sell goods and make one last bit of profit in a difficult year. For others, it's a time to protest the religious misconceptions that abound in this celebration.

It's easy for us to feel more than a bit overwhelmed.

In the mix of emotions during this holiday season, let God surround you with his peace. Place all of your worries on him and focus on the things that will truly bring you peace.

May there be peace on earth during these coming days and months, and may there be peace in your life and on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Hockey Tuesday- From Champ to Chump and Back

2009-12-22T05:46:00.006-05:00

Psalm 31:24 (The Message)

24 Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up.
Expect God to get here soon

It's Hockey Tuesday...

Must be a story in that!

Last night the ice was perfect. For my non hockey friends, you probably don't care but for my hockey friends, you know how that feels. I play in the Glens Falls Civic Center, Home of the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL. It is a great rink to play in as it is a small facility with a big league feel.

Not even close to any league for me !

Playing goal needs a huge belief in your abilities and skill. The one thing in hockey is as a goalie, I will get scored on no matter what. It will eventually happen.

Playing games is fun but I admit, I do make a mistake occasionally. Last night I had a puck get whacked and it wentup in the air and I "lost it in the lights", went over my head and in to the net.

This was a chump time

Later in the game, I stopped a breakaway and the rebound came out front to an open net and jumped back, on my back, and stopped the puck with a swiping motion away from the net.

This was champ time!

It is a good thing God does not look at me by how I make a save in life or let one go by. He is with me whether or not its in the glove or in the back of the net on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Did you have an Uncle Joe?

2009-12-21T06:37:00.000-05:00

The Christmas season this year is full of uncertainties. With travel, visiting relatives, cram packed schedules, tight budgets, and unexpected emergencies, most of us will have our share of "You've got to be kidding me!" moments.

Growing up in large family was very interesting. My mom was one of 12 and we regularly got together for Sundays and always for holidays. We are a great time in a small house with lots of people stuffed in to a little house smoking cigars and drinking Spanish wine.

Then there was Uncle Joe, really a 2nd uncle.

He had issues and usually came in to the celebration REALLY drunk after hanging out someplace. Never did figure out where that was. It was hard to kick him out since he lived next door in the 2 family with his mother.

This was one of those"You've got to be kidding moments"

Life's journey's have many of these moments. Some significant and some we care not to remember

And in the middle of our journeys, fraught with challenges and problems, let's remember that our Savior chose to make His journey to us through the same kind of confusion, stress, and uncertainty so that we could know Him as Jesus.

Let's us remember this week the reason for this time of the year and remember the important aspects of life and living on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Light in a Dark World

2009-12-20T12:16:00.003-05:00

 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Romans 12:16


I really started to follow what is said about me in relationship to others and how should I be as a person awhile ago . How do I do what is right in the eyes of everybody? How can I truly be someone who is a giver of encouragement and hope.

"Live in Harmony with one another"

...not a term I heard much of today. I believe this is for people who need to really look at themselves  and see who we need to love together as brothers and sisters in this adopted family God has created. This was also written to the Romans who were very independent people and needed to heard what it meant to be a believer in this new faith and how we need to be like a family where we strive to live together in harmony with each other.

I need to also consider people who  "low in position" I think this is all of us! We are all made lower than God therefore I need to be aware that my self- righteousness and view of myself, without God would tend to not be willing to associate with people in low position.  We are all in low position so I guess I am part of the crowd again!

"Don't be conceited!" That's a command for someone else, right? I don't think I've ever met someone who felt he or she was conceited. But, when we're looking for someone with whom we want to associate, we seldom look for someone ignored by the crowd, forgotten by the pretty people, and easily overlooked by others. We want to "hang around with" those who are important, who are superstars, or at least who carry some clout. We believe we deserve to be noticed and valued, too. Oops, guess that's where the commands in this verse come from!

Don't be conceited

Don't be proud

Live in harmony

Please help me to continue to see those who are less fortunate in spirit and position so I might be a light in a dark world where harmony and peace seem like a distance thought never to be approached or attained. Help me to be more like you every day as I continue the Adventure in Middle Grove.

What's faith got to do with it...

2009-12-19T08:39:00.001-05:00

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Romans 12:9-13

What is the definition of sincere?

An earnest devotion without reservation or misgiving.

Many times in live you have to be sincere before you are aware the other person is reciprocating
Being sincere in love of others is also a leap of faith not know if the other person will offer the benefit of returning love.

It takes a bit of faith...

I found this quote awhile back that is a good example of giving in to faith in love.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

Faith in love is something only experienced in the intimacy of great friends and relationships. This is just not romantic love but brotherly love for those people we really care about.

Help me keep the zeal in love on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Good Medicine

2009-12-17T10:26:00.005-05:00

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength. "

Proverbs 17:22, NLT

As I have been talking about for the past few weeks, this season can be one of joy and sadness. The joy of past memories and the sadness of past memories. Our emotions are in our control if we wish to take control. Use this time of the year to seek happiness in the din of hollow exceptions and situations.

Dream big and keep a cheerful heart the focus of who you are in life.

Let me be a cheerful heart in a world that is not always so cheerful on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Got to have FUN!

2009-12-17T05:20:00.000-05:00

"So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun."

Ecclesiastes 8:15, NLT

This time of year there are so many pressures and expectations on your personal lives it is hard to remember life can be fun. Thanksgiving and Christmas probably provide the more family stress than any other time of the year. As kids get older and start to have their own families, meeting together is harder and harder as the complexities of life get exponential more complicated.

This Christmas season really take a look at what is important in life.Try to take your eyes off of the superficial extravagances of society and look at what really makes a difference.

Take notice of those special times and relationships in a new way, as I will, on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Asleep at the wheel

2009-12-16T06:17:00.004-05:00

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
1 Thessalonians 5:6

Working for government is sometimes interesting. Many people have worked at the same job doing the same thing at the same time for over 25 years. So many sleepwalk through relationships, their jobs and life in general. They never are awake enough to really live and feel the excitement of life and the people in their lives.

But I have made the choice to not to be "dead" in life.

I am alive because of the people in my life and the relationships established to enhance living and not be drawn to the ho hum existence that is easy but not fun or challenging.

Awaken me to dream great dreams and imagine great things as I continue the Adventure in Middle Grove

Hockey Tuesday - Battlle at Broken Stick

2009-12-15T05:22:00.004-05:00

12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12 (New International Version)

No, this is not another story about an Indian Battle!

Last night was a battle and I lost....

About 10 minutes in to the game, someone stepped on my stick and cracked it. About 10 minutes late, it was almost completely broken. I did not have another stick with me so we taped it up and I used it for the rest of the game.

On the way home, well after 11:00 PM, I was thinking,

This is alot like life.

Things are going ok and then all of a sudden there is a crack in the stick. We get along for awhile and before you know it the stick is broken.

We have 2 choices.

1. Quit
2, Play with a broke stick until you can get a new one.

My choice is to tape it up and keep playing and get the new stick as soon as I can on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Is this about Christmas?

2009-12-14T05:23:00.006-05:00

Follow the way of love...

I Cor 14:1a

I have heard much over the past few months about Christmas.

It seems that Jesus up in heaven with a cosmic cash register praying that sales during the Christmas season are good or it will be a very BAD year!

It seems that "being in the black" is the main goal of the Christmas season and the guiding principles of Christmas are hoping that the "Jesus effect" has the most bang for the buck to get all the people out shopping.

It seems the success of Christmas has only a monetary result and nothing else matters.

Well, nothing could be farther from the truth.

The season is about the love of God for us and how the motivation for how we should take action in life.

Today, "follow the way of love" as you look towards the Christmas season on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

2009-12-13T08:18:00.002-05:00

This is the Day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Worship with your heart and soul today

Pre- Christmas Message

2009-12-12T10:12:00.003-05:00

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment...

1 John 4:18

As you prepare for this holiday season remember one thing...

It is not a time of shopping , gifts, decorations, parties, etc.

It is a time to take those special relationships and to cherish the time you have together. To look at the past as a reflection, and to the future as the direction for harmony and love.

Hold on the past only long enough to help guide the present as you look towards the future, as I do, on the Adventure in Middle Grove

2009-12-10T18:43:00.004-05:00

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

Once in awhile I come across a quote that really strikes a chord with me. This quote has been hanging around my computer for a long time.

As I started to really examine who I was on the Adventure in Middle Grove, I came up with a few principles and conclusions .

“What do I want from life?” I asked myself.

“Well…I want to be happy.” I had many reasons to be happy:

I had three beautiful daughters;
I was doing what I wanted to do in life;
I was living in one of the best places in the US;
I had many great friends;
I had my health;
I was meeting some great people

but there were a few things I did not have conclusions for...

Did I really know myself? Not just on a superficial level but on a deep level transcending the shell of my person.

Learning to know myself in a deeper way allowed me to really put things in perspective as to who I wanted to be and how was I going to be happy in life.

It was a tough but refreshing experience to know myself better and to seek a life of "happiness"

Some people assume happiness is mostly a matter of inborn temperament: You’re born an Eeyore or a Tigger, and that’s that. Although it’s true that genetics play a big role, much of your happiness level is within your control. Taking time to reflect, and making conscious steps to make your life happier, really does work.

So, today,

SEEK HAPPINESS as I will on the Adventure in Middle Grove

A HAPPY HEART

2009-12-10T05:17:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 15:13 - "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." (NIV)

One of the things I notice during this time of the year is many people are stressed about what they need to do for the holidays. It is also a time where memories and possibilities come to the forefront of consciousness.

Contentment can be seen on the face of a person but deep heartache can be something goes to the core of the soul.

This Christmas season I am preparing for happy heart with friends and family on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Better than yourself

2009-12-09T05:10:00.002-05:00



Do nothing our of selfish ambition or vain conceit , but in humility consider others better than yourself.




This must be something I need to live by if the Philippians verse is to really be part of my soul as I interact daily with my friends, family and people in general.

What I really want to know is  do I consider myself part of the "everybody" Do I act in a manner that is right in the eyes of not only everybody but in the eyes of God.

As I mediate on this, I am drawn to a familiar song that gives me the insight in to what God is saying here for me to be a part of the "everybody" mentioned in this passage

I need to continually  open the eyes of my heart so I may see what is right and honorable. If I do not do this,  what I am looking at is through filters that cloud my sight. I need to continually go before God and ask him to let me see things through eyes that are guided by him so I do not put my spin or my prejudices, or my shortcomings as I try to  to "do what is right"   I need to come before the Lord and ask him to open the eyes of MY heart first and then I can do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, not my eyes.

 That's how Jesus lived!

He sought to make a difference in the lives of others. His goal wasn't getting even, getting what was rightfully his, or even winning the arguments, God won the arguments! His focus was to interact with people and to leave them more blessed than where he found them.Even if he was telling them something about their person or about sin in their life. Jesus sought to make a difference and  keep peace. He spoke the truth.


Forgive me, God, for the grudges I've harbored and the evil things I've thought about others. The times when I have look at people through my eyes and not  the eyes guided by you. Help me be a part of the "everybody" so I may live with peace and your watchful care as I continue living the Adventure in Middle Grove. Help me to see and to value them as Jesus does.

Open the Eyes of MY HEART

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Fz1rviXFU

Hockey Tuesday

2009-12-08T05:47:00.003-05:00

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Galatians 6:9 (New Living Translation

OK, It is Tuesday so there must be a hockey story...

Last night was a good night but it seems the over 30 hockey league gets younger every year!

Playing goal tender is a good example of what this verse says. When playing goal for 1.5 hours there are many times when I am tired. There are many times when I really do not want to get up to stop another shot.

...but I do.

If I just stood there and did nothing, it would not be good.

This is just like life.

You can stand there and do nothing or make a choice to move in to action.

It is tiring
It is hard
It is sometimes disappointing

but it is worth the effort as I reap the reward of blessings.

Work in me to continue to look forward and be a person of action as I continue to work for "good" on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Y M C A

2009-12-07T04:45:00.004-05:00


If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.   Ecclesiastes 10:18     


Going to the Y this weekend on top of  coaching hockey and hiking.... I am beat!

Laziness is not just an attitude, it is a lack of action. It is a choice to let important matters suffer neglect. While the results of this choice may not always be evident, over the passage of time, the basic results of idleness are demonstrated by the accumulating signs of decay and destruction. I really try to exercise in many different ways. It is hard to find the time to do it and I have to be creative or it does not happen. This is the same with our spiritual  health. If we do not "exercise" our spirits, we will suffer also. Whether it is physical exercise or spiritual exercise, they both are good for body and spirit.  Don't let your rafters sag! It is an ugly sight!   Stir in me, a passion to do what is true and good and righteous. Convict my heart when I neglect what is important. Please help me discern the difference between laziness and a genuine need for rest and to balance my life between my many responsibilities.

Getting ready for Christmas

2009-12-06T06:52:00.000-05:00

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:7

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

-- 1 John 4:8

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and
sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

-- 1 John 4:10

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one
another.

-- 1 John 4:11

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives
in us and his love is made complete in us.

-- 1 John 4:12

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

-- 1 John 4:16

In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have
confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are
like him.

-- 1 John 4:17

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,
because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not
made perfect in love.

-- 1 John 4:18

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a
liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen,
cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

-- 1 John 4:20

As we are only a few weeks away from Christmas, many hearts and minds are turned to family, friends and good times together. This takes work. This is a good time for remembering a special person or persons as we approach Christmas. Too many times Christmas is thought of as a "getting" season not a "giving" season. As I looked at what real love is over the past few months, God opened my eyes to the real source of love. I knew God loved me but I really did not absorb the immensity of his love and what this love means for the other relationships in my life.

My heart needs to be filled with the love of God!

All other "feelings" of love need to emanate from my heart filled with the love and the spirit of God has he continues to work in me. Love is a feeling, but God loves me, whether I have the feeling of love or it is missing.

I can love when the love is not returned,

I can love when I feel unlovable

I can love when I don't see a path to love

God's love has changed me. His love is not only a gift to me, but it is a gift through me.

Thank you for the power to love others. Thank you for the confidence your love gives me.

You have done so much to save me and love me in spite of me.

Thank you for loving friends

Thank you for loving family

Thank you for waiting on love

Thank you for your loving grace today as I do feel your love and the love of others on the path as the Adventure in Middle Grove winds through life.

Your comments are welcome

2009-12-05T10:31:00.002-05:00

I was looking at some material this morning for the next week and I came across this quote.

What do you think it means?

You cannot go on being a good egg forever. You must either hatch or rot.

-- C. S. Lewis

He was certainly an interesting guy...

What do you think?

TRUST

2009-12-04T08:50:00.002-05:00

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much …”

Luke 16:10

I have many friends who will never make the Guiness Book of Records but they will leave a legacy.

A legacy of trust. There is never any doubt about their trustworthiness

If we are trustworthy with something that has a little value, we can also be trusted with something that has greater value. The passage indicates we can also be trusted with more than worldly wealth.

Life is really about handling true riches.

True riches are found in relationships of faith and trusting each other. Trust develops steadily and gradually over time.

Help me to walk in ways of hope and confidence today on the Adventure in MIddle Grove.

It's gotta be LOVE

2009-12-03T05:46:00.004-05:00

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

2 Peter 1:5-7, New International Version

This time of year,many things make a difference in life.

Friends
Family
Relationships
Health
Finances

Above all this year,bring love to the forefront as I will too on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Xs and Os

2009-12-02T19:52:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 15:22
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Last night I had hockey practice for the woman's team I coach. I really try not to give too many instructions but in life the Xs and Os are much more complicated. They tend to look like the picture above. Not an easy explanation but a sheet of intersections and collisions. The path to the goal is not always a straight path nor one that is not complicated.

Life can take different paths and I do not always know the direction but I know there will be A direction to take on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Getting Weary

2009-12-01T05:43:00.003-05:00

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9,   


Wow,Was I weary last night!  Monday night hockey was fast and furious and the defence kept giving up the puck right in front of the net!  In the end , we lost by 1.  I can stop most any shot when I am ready for it.   But ...  When one of my own players passes the puck, right in the front of the net, I am not ready.  It is not expected...  Gets a little weary as the night goes on. I think I stopped more shots from passes from my own players than the opposition!  This is a small insignificant example but there are many things in life that make us weary.  Job Kids Family  Let's not stop doing good because we are weary but let's persevere today on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

"Reach Out and Touch Someone"

2009-11-30T07:37:00.009-05:00

Luke 6:17-19 (New International Version)

Blessings and Woes He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

I found this quote during the weekend that meant a great deal to me as I continue to give thanks for family and friends and new relationships.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life
around.

-- Leo Buscaglia

Sports are often excited about seeing the players of their favourite team play and after the game have a chance to meet some of them. Better yet, to talk with them, shake their hands or get their autograph. To do that is a thrill — just to be near them or to touch their favourite player. It is something they will remember for a long time.

For Roman Catholic people it is an even greater thrill to see the pope when he, in the pope-mobile, drives through the streets. You can see the people line up by the thousands, waving — if only to be close to the pope — maybe even to have his shadow fall on them, or better yet, to touch him, or his garment. Best of all, to get to speak to him, to feel his power and influence in their lives.

The same thing happened when Mother Teresa was still alive and she would come to visit a town. Or, nowadays, Billy Graham for that matter. People who come near them or touch them, somehow, feel close to God and extremely blessed. Even the sick have experienced healing power in their lives.

In the book of Acts, chapter 5, there is such a phenomenon. The apostle Peter was in the temple at the place called Solomon's colonnade. Because many men and women believed in the Lord, people brought their sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

People saw in Peter healing power that he did in the name of Jesus. Later, in Acts 19, Paul was in Ephesus and God did extra-ordinary miracles through himso that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and evil spirits left them.

The power of touch by a doctor or therapist, even today, enhances healing. It's regrettable that we live in a society where no one dares to touch another person for fear of sexual harassment — a touch that so easily sends out the wrong message.

Our children need to be touched and hugged on occasion, including through the teen years. It conveys the message, louder than words could say, “We care for you and about you.” It gives encouragement and hope.

Adults also need to be touched too. In a time of difficulty, times of depression, after a talk, a handshake or better, a hand on arm or shoulder, even a hug with the words, “Hang in there... you can do it, ” makes hope soar.

"Reach Out and Touch Someone" today, with love, on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Alive and Well

2009-11-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

After a long weekend of family and friends, let's focus today on the reason for our salvation and for how we can love others

I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well, you're spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well, you're spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be
That you my king would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
It's my joy to honor you
Amazing love, how can it be
That you My king would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
It's my joy to honor you
In all I do I honor you

I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well, you're spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

QUICK < SLOW< SLOW

2009-11-28T07:04:00.004-05:00

Listening and Doing

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

James 1:19 (New Living Translation)

The holiday season seems to bring out the best in families and the worst in families. It is a somewhat condensed , close, and intimate time where it is easy to speak and difficult to listen. It is a time when past experiences can illegitimately drive conversations and the past becomes the present.

Take time as we approach the holiday season of 2009 to listen to conversations and move forward in family and friend relationships. Look toward the future as the walk continues on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Making a connection

2009-11-27T11:29:00.001-05:00

Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Galatians - Chapter 6:2

I can't get this verse out of my head!

Relationships have taken on new meaning in the last year.

Friends who were marginal friends or acquaintances are now people who are now part of the fabric of my life. New friends who were not even know last year. Friends who care about me in times of trouble and times of contentment.

Jesus was very clear about relationships with people, in general. He taught about relationships.

The woman at the well. Jesus was talking about relationships

The tax collector. Jesus was talking about relationships

The cripple. It was about friends and relationships

The critically ill woman. It was about relationships

The Bible is filled with stories about relationships. My pray is God would teach me to value the relationships I have in family and friends.

It is about relationships near and far and especially those close to me, today on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Thanks for Friends

2009-11-26T08:36:00.003-05:00

This year has been a year of change and unknown.

One of the constants is my friends,near and far...

From Brasil to Washington to New York to Canada and many places in between, friends have been there in joy and sorrow, in victory and defeat. Friends who learn to laugh and have fun.

Great Friends!

When we count

our many blessings;

It isn't hard to see

that life's most valued

treasures are the

treasures that are free.

For it isn't what

we own or buy

that signifies

our wealth.

It's the special

gifts that have

no price:

our family,

friends and health.

Thanks for all my friends with me today and moving ahead in life on the Adventure in Middle Grove... keep the humor in life

Giving Thanks

2009-11-25T11:40:00.003-05:00

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing (Psalm 145:13-16

...For my friends in Canada and afar, tomorrow is the traditional Thanksgiving celebration in the United States...

This Thanksgiving as I come before God as a renewed creation in him, I am thankful for my family, my friends and for a job to provide for me. I am thankful for the many relationships I have developed over the years. I am thankful for opportunity to be loved by my friends and to love friends.

BUT..

More importantly...

I am thankful for the faithfulness of God and his everlasting kingdom. Our influence and memories fade after a few generations. The Lord's last through all generations. His promises are honored and he lifts up all who fall. He opens his hand to us. This gesture is one of complete openness and welcome. An open hand is there for us to accept it to be lead in his time and his place to a kingdom everlasting.

I thank you Lord for accepting me and loving me. Let my love be evident in all I do, think, and say to bring you all the honor and glory. Use me as an instrument of your love and mercy on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Slippery Conditions

2009-11-24T05:18:00.003-05:00

If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Psalm 37:23-24

If life is a race, I have hit many speed bumps on the track and ice as I edge towards the finish line. I don't know about you, but I've stumbled my way through much of life. I've tripped at some of the most embarrassing moments. I've stumbled over my own feet, shoelaces, curbs, and just thin air both spiritually and physically. Just a few weeks ago, I came out of the dressing room on hockey night , came out of the tunnel in to the bright lights of the 5,000 seat arena. I confidently jumped on the ice and fell right on my butt. The very next night while coaching my team, I went over to show a drill and stepped on a puck and went down flat on my back! Still feeling the effects of this one. Also, remember I coach a woman's team so I fell in front of the 13 women on my team. They didn't laugh too hard, when they saw I was in pain!

However, I am confident that in my spiritual life, even though I have stumbled from time to time, God has not let me completely fall. When I think I'm going to plunge into the depths of the abyss, I feel the love, care, and concern from all my friends. God is there in times of trial. He is with me on the journey.

Thank you for your steadying influence in my life. Thank you for lifting me when I have been down, protecting me when I have been vulnerable, and comforting me when I have been broken.
Thank you for family and some great friends as I stumble on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T05:46:00.003-05:00

***An Article I read to share this week***

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor

(Proverbs 22:9 TNIV)

The teacher asked the children in her class about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. She thought it might be effective to inch toward its meaning by having them playfully correct some wrong ideas. "Now let me think," she began. "Thanksgiving. That's the day when we think about all the stuff we have. And how we want more things than anybody else has. And how we don't care about anybody but ourselves. And ..." "No!" the preschool kids were starting to chorus! "No-o-o!"

Then one little guy in the middle of the pack looked up and chirped, "That's not Thanksgiving,

That's Christmas!"

Little children understand that there is something unique about the fourth Thursday in November. As much as I love Christmas, its commercialism is over the edge and leaves me feeling jaded at times. Our children still have Halloween candy in their mouths when the store windows and TV ads begin the Santa Shakedown.

Thanksgiving has somehow escaped almost unscathed. Oh, the florists may do a little extra business. And there are greeting cards for Thanksgiving. But, the focus of the day is still generations gathered at a table. The traditional meal is pre-microwave. And, so far at least, there is no "McTurkey" or cranberry pizza.

An essay by Walter Shapiro made this point several years back:

Pray silently for God to make you sensitive to those whose hearts cry out for help.

In a nation where the mall never palls and seven-days-a-week shopping seems enshrined as a civic religion, Thanksgiving stands out as an oasis of tranquility and a reminder of the values that once tempered America's materialism. This Thursday give thanks for the one holiday that cannot be bought.

Before you sit down to your loaded table this week, try to do somethingthat helps insure that a person or family whose year has been bleaker than yours will have a hearty Thanksgiving meal too. Then, when you finally do sit down to your own, don't feel guilty -- just blessed -- and bow with your dear ones to give God your sincere gratitude. As you get up from a table still heavy with leftovers, pray silently for God to make you sensitive to those whose hearts cry out for help.

The blessings we celebrate will become a curse unless we receive them with grateful hearts and with a willingness to share on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Out of Order?

2009-11-21T06:22:00.000-05:00

"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. "

1 Corinthians 14:33

Bring order today on the Adventure in Middle Grove

When OK is not OK

2009-11-20T05:18:00.002-05:00

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus

(Philippians 2:13-14 TNIV)

I recent wrote about this verse but it continues to come back to me as I look forward in life.

How many times have I settled for OK?

How many times have I taken the easy way in life?

How many relationships are out there that need to be more than OK?

How many times have I looked back and not looked ahead?

TOO MANY TIMES

I am not settling for OK, ANY MORE.

Let me experience life in a new way as life is too short for OK, today and forever, on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

The "AFTERS" song below is one of those songs that has been in my head for quite awhile.

It's not the end, but it feels like it is
I'm waking up like I'm back from the dead
I'm stepping out, and I feel so free
But as long as I'm moving it's all right

I feel alive, and it hurts for a change
No looking back
It's hard to believe that I was cool
With the days that I wasted
Complacent and tasteless and bored
But that was yesterday...

We're never going back to OK (OK)
We're never going back to easy
We're never going back to the way it was
We're never going back to OK

This discontent, like a slap in the face
I'm mediocre, I've had enough of this place
This party's over, and I'm moving away
from the things of your Beverly Hills
That was yesterday...

We're never going back to OK (OK)
We're never going back to easy
We're never going back to the way it was
We're never going back to OK

Make EVERY Effort

2009-11-19T06:01:00.005-05:00

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace andto mutual edification.
Romans 14:19

The President is just returning from a long visit to Asia. His mission was to try to "make peace" and open up discussions that can only happen if there is peace. Working on economic challenges in the world cannot happen before the world makes peace.

"Make every effort!" That's quite a challenge. But notice where that exertion is to be focused: peace and mutual edification. Both sides of this exhortation are two way responsibilities. I must pursue and share peace if I am going to have it myself. I must edify, and be open to being edified, if mutual edification is going to happen. In other words, I live with other people in God's family. He wants me to be responsible for making relationships work. He reminds me it will require strenuous effort. But, isn't that true in every important relationship? Love means sacrifice, effort, and concern. When I share my love willingly, I'm much more likely to see it coming back to me!

Don't take Love for granted!

Forgive me for how I can become impatient and selfish. Energize me by your Spirit to see areas where I can be a blessing and an encouragement to others on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Squeezed like a grape

2009-11-18T05:52:00.003-05:00

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8-18

Do you ever feel like a grape?

The kids are acting up...

Your finances are in trouble...

Your pet is sick...

You have troubled relationships...

Life, in general, is messed up.

Now you know what a grape feels like!

smooshed, squished, flattened, and squeeze beyond recognition.

What is a result of all this violence?

Taking time and the right conditions, a fine wine is made from the juice of the grapes.

The pressing in was worth the effort.

Just like life...

We are pressed in from all sides and from many places.

Just like wine...

The rewards of the squeezing results in a life of appreciation knowing what happened to get to the rewards.

Squeeze me to make me a fine wine on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

(Donations of wine gladly accepted!)

Mighty to Save

2009-11-17T06:09:00.003-05:00

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Last night I had my Monday night beating. I played hockey with the "over 30"group last night. Some nights are good, some not so good. I had about 60 shots last night. There were flurries of 4 and 5 shots at a time. I did OK but I finally succumbed to the barrage. I don't know where my team was! I also had a few shots that scored because I was exhausted and was not concentrating. Sometimes I could make the save, some times I was fairly useless.

Good thing God is not like that!

God is with me!

All the time.

That's the great message of the story of Jesus (Matt. 1:23). That's the message of hope Zephaniah gives the defeated people of God. God is with me. He is mighty to save. He loves me. He delights in me. He stills the storms of my heart with his loving touch. He sings songs of joy. God longs to be close to me and invites me to draw near.

Father, strengthen my resolve as seek to draw near to you. I want to experience your presence and to be used as your tool of grace in the lives of others. I need your presence to settle the noise of my soul. Thank you for being near on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Don't Give up

2009-11-16T05:32:00.000-05:00

. . .And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - excerpts from

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

God didn't give up on me, he loved me even though I was unlovable. He brought me back in to his arms and loved me for who I was. He loved me for my imperfections and short comings. He loves me for who I am.

This does not mean I do not change but I change God's way, not my way.

God did not give up on Love... He did not give up on me!

I will not give up on Love.

Sanctus Real

"Don't Give Up"?

Well I heard you say you would love for a lifetime
And now you complain a lifetime just doesn’t feel right for you
Another casualty of casual love
Another soul out of place, a heart that gave up

Why do we break the promises we make?
Are we living for ourselves?

Don’t give up on love and throw it all away
Don’t give up on love and let it fall away
When did it become so easy to run from your pain?
Don’t give up on love and throw it all away

I heard you say you can’t change a stubborn heart
I can relate ‘cause that’s how I feel when I talk with you

Why should it take losing everything
To realize it might be time to change?

Don’t give up on love and throw it all away
Don’t give up on love and let it fall away
When did it become so easy to run from your pain?
Don’t give up on love and throw it all away

Your restless heart won’t win ‘cause you take but you don’t give
And you’ll keep moving on until you learn what love is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNU64zDIDg4

I am learning what is is to love as I am guided on the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Longing...

2009-11-15T07:30:00.003-05:00

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12,

Sometimes I have thought in my life I had hope for something. I did, but it was the wrong thing. I was looking in the wrong places. I was looking to the wrong people. As proverbs says," A longing fulfilled is a tree of life"

Waiting for the right thing is hard, since It is sometimes difficult to figure out what the right thing is.

When that particular longing is fulfilled, I think you know it. Sometimes it takes a very long time with the right situation and the right people.

Fulfill my longings in life as the Adventure in Middle Grove continues.

Best Regards

2009-11-14T06:02:00.000-05:00

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.

Psalm 41:1, New International Version

We are approaching a time in the year when we think of the things we are thankful for in life. Sometimes it is amazing to me our western culture of self help and narcissism even cares about those who are less fortunate. Giving regard for the weak should be an inward sign that we are fortunate to have the things and more importantly the people who matter in life. We serve those less fortunate not to make ourselves feel good but to give back for who and what we have in life.

It is easy to let this time of the year slip by and not be cognizant of those around us needing financial, moral or emotional support. It is easy to think it is the job of someone else.

Take a moment to plan how you will give back this year. Not to give back to make yourself feel good but to honor someone with your presence or material needs to truly show you care.

Use me today for the good of those around me and for those who are in need on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Don't Stumble

2009-11-13T05:20:00.004-05:00

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
Romans 14:13

A few weeks ago,I went hiking with a friend to hike up Hadley Mountain. If you are not from the area, Hadley Mountain is a short steep climb with a restored fire tower at the top. It has spectacular views of the Adirondacks.The trail is a road washout from years of neglect. The trail is full of rocks and is slippery. If you are not careful while walking, you will hit one of the out cropping rocks.

The stumbling block or rock!

It is so easy to be judgmental of others. I don't know their struggles. I don't know their situation. Most of all, I don't know their hearts. When I am judgmental, I erect a barrier
between others and myself. It is easy to spread that judgmental impression to others in gossip. My stubbornness to only view them with a judgmental spirit erects a barrier, a stumbling block, which can cause them to become discouraged and stumble.

Please be with my attitude toward others. Help me be more patient with the failures of others, just as you are patient with mine. Forgive me for not being more of an encouragement to those who are weak and struggling. Forgive me for sometimes being a hindrance to others. Please use me to be a blessing to others on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Overflowing

2009-11-12T05:32:00.004-05:00

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

1 Thessalonians 3:12

God is love. God is also the source of love. He pours love into my heart through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). So how do we make my relationships and communities more loving? I pray for God to grow his love in them, let them know that I am praying that prayer for them, then communicate and demonstrate my love to them.

Use me to help be an example of love to those around me. Please pour your love into my heart through your Spirit and then channel that love out of my life to others. Let your love be evident in relationships close and important to me. on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Plans.....

2009-11-11T07:49:00.002-05:00

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)

This is a repeat.... Holiday!

My daughter Lauren is an amazing person. Her love of God is evident each day as she learns to rely on him in all circumstances.

Yesterday she shared with me a quote I could not get out of my head...

More on that later...

The storms of life are always lurking around the corner. Am I ready? Are you ready?

There are many types of storms:

Being diagnosed with prostate or breast cancer, MS, or any number of other chronic illnesses.

Losing your job after many years as a faithful employee.

Learning that your spouse wants a divorce.

Getting a phone call that your child is probably dead.

Living with a loved one who has a drug or alcohol addiction (in which case a storm can blow up at any time of the day or night!)

Watching a family member be convicted of a crime and sent to prison.

Having a child diagnosed with a serious mental illness.

Experiencing the death of a close family member.

Any of these storms, provide a debilitating experience that can stop someone in their tracks.

How do we weather the storms of life?

The verse in Jeremiah gives me a clue.

I have hope in the plan that God has for me.

I am not always sure what the plan is so I need to not learn how to weather the storms but lean on the hope God has for me and who will he put in my path.

It is not how I hunker down and hide in the storms but in the hope God has for me and the people who are in the path of life with me.

It is not the fury of life that will control me but the gentleness and care of those who are on the path of life with me.

Let me rely on the hope you have for me and teach me "to learn to dance in the rain, rather than wait for the storm to pass. Not only will I miss out on life, but I miss out on the dance, and the chance to be refreshed today" on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

I love you Lauren!

COOL...

2009-11-10T05:59:00.002-05:00

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant
land.

Proverbs 25:25

Playing goal a few times week is hot stuff! All the other players get a chance to rest but I need to stay on the ice for 1.5 hours, non stop. At the end of the game, a cold drink is a refreshing change from the heat of the game.

Some times in the heat of battle of life, a cold drink is not to be found. The thirst continues to parch the mouth and the soul.

Good news like a cold drink is a welcome entity in the struggles of every day life.

One thing I have learned is the cold drink of life can come from the most unlikely place and offer refreshment to the soul.

Let me be refreshed today as you cool me with refreshment on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Brave and Courageous

2009-11-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous.Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

There have been many times in my life when I need to make changes or change strategies for work and home.

This is one of those times.

God is making changes now!

God has lead me to his word to look at his faithfulness and his love throughout generations. He has shown me the the importance of two concepts of the Bible paramount to our system of Christian belief.

I want to be able to look deeper in scripture to have God uncover for me the greatness of his Spirit and how he upholds those who believe.

The two concepts are the direction God is leading me on my life path to know him and know myself more as he uncovers the wisdom in His Word for me.

1. Believe the unbelievable

2. Expect the unexpected

It is clear to me God desires me to be brave and courageous as I wait on him patiently.

Believing the unbelievable is spread out throughout scripture as God unfolds his plans to his people. Times when unbelief was the popular opinion and God showed believing in him was contrary to the masses.

Expecting the unexpected is also embedded in all of God's promises as he shows me he is there and the unexpected should be expected as we wait patiently on Him. Some of the greatest stories in the Bible are of the expected meeting the unexpected.

This is where God does his work.

This is where I will ask him to work in me as I continue to wait patiently on him as he reveals the:

belief in the unbelievable

and the

surety in the expectancy of his promises.

God is an everlasting God and his love and promises are forever. His time is timeless and his grace and mercy limitless.

HE is an everlasting God.

You are the one true God

My life is important to you as I wait patiently on you to restore relationships and bring me to a deeper understanding of you and me while the winding paths continue on the Adventure in Middle Grove

WISDOM

2009-11-08T08:07:00.004-05:00

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Wisdom is, and starts with, the humility to accept the fact that you don't have all the right answers, and the courage to learn to ask the right questions..,

Sometimes wisdom begins with a simple question...
Sometimes wisdom begins with an open mind
Sometimes wisdom begins with a gentle touch
Sometimes wisdom begins with a new perspective

Most of the time wisdom begins with love...

Love for someone not for what you expect to get but for what you are prepared to give.

Wisdom is the fine line between love and criticism.

Wisdom is sometimes in short supply.

Develop in me the wisdom that loves and cares on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Taking a Stand

2009-11-07T05:56:00.000-05:00

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Ephesians 6:11

So often I am focused only on the things that I like, that I am good at doing, or that I am interested in accomplishing. God wants me to use every piece of his spiritual armor. He wants me to be disciplined and grow in the areas of my spiritual weakness and the areas I don't necessarily find exciting or interesting. Our evil opponent is crafty and will try to attack us in the areas of our weakness and vulnerability. So let me not just commit to be diligent in the areas of my interest and strength, but also in those areas where I am not.

Lord, strengthen me in the areas where I am weakest. Open my eyes to help me see and rekindle my heart to love on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Do it in Bed

2009-11-06T05:00:00.001-05:00

²⁶"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

Ephesians 4:26 (New International Version)

Yesterday I talked about forgiveness and what it means to forgive. Much of forgiveness starts with this verse. I should never let the sun go down being angry. This is the key to the beginning of forgiveness.

Too many times, anger is taken to bed, or not;

Too many times the sun goes down and the anger is still festering;

Too many times the issues of today become the anger of tomorrow;

Too many times the selfishness of the individual over rides the good of resolution;

Strive to day to not let the sun go down where there are relationships that need healing. Start the process. Don't be afraid to initiate the conversation.

Let the gentleness of my soul be the guiding principle as the walk on the path continues on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

What is Forgiveness?

2009-11-04T08:31:00.000-05:00

^14-15"... You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.

Matthew 6:14-15 (The Message)

Forgiveness doesn't make the other person right, it makes you free.

-- Stormie Omartian

A bit late today... Some times being the IT Director for a County is not fun!

Forgiveness is the miracle of a new beginning.

It is to start where we are, not where we wish we were, or the other person was.

It is to hold out a hand; to want to renew a friendship; to want a new relationship with husband, father, daughter, friend, or indeed enemy.

It may not take away the hurt. It does not deny the past injury.

It does not ignore the possibility and need for repentance and a change in the relationship.

It means being willing to take the initiative in dealing with any barriers that I may be raising towards a restored relationship.

It means that I am willing to have a relationship with the other party that is based on Christian love and not on what has happened in the past, if the response of the other person makes that possible.

Two New Testament words that translate "to forgive" mean literally "to let go" and "to cancel a debt". I found that at times the phrase "I forgive you" seemed empty, so I said,:

I release you. I let you go.
I let go of this offense.
I cancel your debt. You owe me nothing now.
I renounce my desire to get even with you."

Imagine owing someone a million dollars and they tell you you do not need to repay it , forever!

This fills the imagery of the word "forgiveness" with a more specific and concrete meaning.

Forgiveness may lead to reconciliation or it may not, but they are not the same. Paul recognizes this when, in writing about our attitude to those who wrong us, he says,

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18).

Let me be at peace today on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

A NEW DAY...Don't be so Quick

2009-11-03T04:25:00.000-05:00

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Proverbs 27:1

Humility about the future!

I don't control tomorrow.

At other times in my life I may have taken tomorrow for granted; not so anymore.

Tomorrow may not come.
Tomorrow something horrible could happen.
Tomorrow everything I possess could be gone.

In the face of these discouraging possibilities, is there anything positive I can hold onto?

Absolutely!

God holds tomorrow in his hands.

It might not be what I expected. It might not go as we planned.

It may be better!

Lord, all my tomorrows all rest in your hands. I ask that I can be useful to you today; courageous enough not to worry about tomorrow and keep those close to me, "in Today", on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Letting go...

2009-11-01T06:37:00.006-05:00

Many are the plans in a man's heart...
Proverbs 19:21

We must let go of the life we planned in order to accept the life that is waiting for us.

Wow, As I look back on the past, the plans I made were numerous. They did many things, but, help me get ready for what was really waiting for me.

Too many times, I forced life due to situations and perceived direction.

Too many times I went in directions that may have been self serving and not looking at the big picture.

Too many times I forgot myself and who I was.

Too many times I let inertia be the guiding force of life

Not any more...

Life is full of new directions and relationships, today, on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

The Shadows are looming

2009-11-01T05:47:00.000-05:00

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17, New International Version

We do not get much sun in the northeast during the winter, so we do not get many shadows either. November is the month with the least sun. Even when we have sun, the angle of the sun is so low, we have skinny long shadows. As the feel of fall fades away, we enter in to a period of quiet as winter is looming and the darkness overtakes begins to over take the landscape. This is a good picture as I reflect on the cold morning from the heat of yesterday. The shadows are not permanent or the same from moment to moment. They change as the sun changes and clouds prevent the sun from penetrating to even make a shadow. Life's challenges are found in the light of our heavenly father , not in the shadows that reach the earth. What are those shadows? Are they the advice from other people, Is it knowledge in books, how about my own self -confidence and reliance on what I know. Probably all! , and more... The shadows of life do not matter. It is the light showing us who we are and how he can help us as we sit at his feet daily asking to be warmed by his presence.
as we approach the cold of winter, warm the inside, the inside of me. The shadows of this day do not provide any light and heat. This can only come from you, the creator and sustainer of all that is now and will be forever.

Let you light shine on this little place on earth as your glow can be felt on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Compassion

2009-10-31T08:01:00.000-04:00

Luke 7:13

When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!”

Back to the character of Jesus and what can I learn from the situation.

Jesus was following a funeral process of a widow's young son. This probably was significant since she was along and now her only son who some day would provide for her was now dead.

Jesus approached the procession and saw the grief of the widow and he heart overflowed and he had compassion on her ans said."don't cry"

He then proceed to the coffin of the young man and touch the coffin and said to the young man, "get up"

I would probably got tot he funeral and said, "What can I do here?" How can I fix this.
I would not have had it in the right order.

Jesus did. He first showed compassion and them took care of the situation. Compassion and connection with people is what drove the motivation of Jesus. The fixing of things was just as important, but secondary to the compassion he showed his people.

Lord, help me be a person of compassion and live as you mold me in to the person you want me to be for YOU.

"God visits his people on this day and for days to come showing compassion and love on the Adventure in Middle Grove"

Hiding Place

2009-10-30T06:41:00.005-04:00

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 32:7

Out of the attacks of evil come the victories of God and the victory of God's people. Let me find my strength and protection in Him! Let me make God my hiding place, my source of security, and my hope in times of trouble.

Lord, thank you for the confidence I have in your power and your might to deliver me from every attack of the evil one. You are worthy of all glory, honor, power, and praise today on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Fighting through the pain

2009-10-29T09:24:00.004-04:00

Even though times of transition are tough, the riches of refinement are worth the pain of loneliness and frustration

I found this quote last night and thought is was appropriate to what I was reading about hope.

There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Psalm 23:18

The present will yield to the future and the future is based on the present realities and situations in life and how they are handled.

The past is no longer relevant in control of the future but is a touch point for learning about how to handle the future.

Some times the path to the future leads through pain and suffering to get to the hope on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Ready for Joy?

2009-10-28T05:57:00.002-04:00

Verses for meditation and memorization this week.

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you

(John 15:10-12 NIV).

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves

(Philippians 2:1-3)

When I surrender my will to His, get rid of my ego, sacrifice for the good of others, welcome God's presence into my life, and express my love to others, the Scriptures promise that our joy can be complete. I can experience this by giving my life to Him completely.

Joy is His promise to us today on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

2009-10-27T05:09:00.000-04:00

Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:15-16

Even though we are God's holy children, we also need to be aware of what time it is in our world. Evil still exercises control over the hearts of many people. God wants us to "redeem the time," making the most of every opportunity we have to touch the lives of others with his grace and to resist the temptation and overcome the opposition of the evil one.

LORD, give me wisdom to discern the best way to use my time and my influence. Open my eyes to see opportunities in my path. Give me courage and sensitivity to know the best way to bless others according to their needs on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Rear View Mirror

2009-10-26T05:13:00.003-04:00

Only hold on to what you have until I come...

Revelation 2:25

One thing about the Christian faith is the main prize is something we will claim when we enter eternity with our maker.

Everything else in life is waiting for this to happen. This is not a fatalistic look at life but the reality of living in a fallen world. Our view of life is looking through a set of glasses looking forward.

There is no rear view mirror looking back.

The work done on earth is preparation for what will come. The prize is something we will never see until we move on to ...until he comes.

Lord, be with me today, while we still venture together on the path of life while traveling on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Going Without

2009-10-25T07:59:00.004-04:00

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:6

I find it amazing about all the things people believe in. The recent fiasco out west called "balloon boy" is a great example of how desperate people are to seek reassurance.

But for the wrong reasons.

If you are not familiar with the story, here is a link.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/opinion/25rich.html?em

This dad needed to have something to grab on to so he totally fabricated the story for his own good. His faith was in the notoriety and exposure he would get from the national news.

He did get it. Cable watching doubled the afternoon of his farce. He put his family, and himself in a realm of believing that he needed to create an event so people would know who he was.

He was placing his faith in himself and exploiting his family and the nation.

Our faith must be in the God of the universe, not in ourselves or any other being or event.

God does exist, today, on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Forever

2009-10-24T10:19:00.003-04:00

"A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need."

Proverbs 17:17

I have been writing alot about friends and how important they are to me.

A friend is always loyal....

Loyalty is out of fashion now. Turning on people and not being loyal is in vogue.

Some times I think hate is more important than love.

A friend like a brother is a friend I need today on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Dawn

2009-10-23T05:15:00.000-04:00

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious
and compassionate and righteous man.

Psalm 112:4

Today I am sitting on the shores of Lake George as the sun tries to push through the clouds of fall. The 74 degree day of yesterday has degraded to 37 of this morning. Dawn still arrives, clouds or no clouds.

What a powerful promise! Just as night passes into dawn, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous, dawn comes even in the worst nights of deep spiritual darkness. The Holy Spirit is reminding me that even in those worst times of ym depression and dismay, Satan's darkness will not rule forever. His darkness cannot stay where Jesus' disciples reflect the character of the
Light of the world. God is always light, never dark. Jesus is the light that God sent to the earth to save us, sinners. I need to look at the dawn of a new day and not look back on the darkness of the night behind. I need to follow the light of God.

Lord, help me to shine your light of holiness and Jesus' light of hope to those trapped in darkness. O God, please forgive my sinful failures. Please cleanse me and create a pure heart in me. I don't want to dim or to diminish your light as it shines through me. Help me so that I can more perfectly shine your light to those around me on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

That sure smells good!

2009-10-22T07:59:00.000-04:00

"The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense."

Proverbs 27:9, NLT

I am sure I have friends!
Isolation and turning away from friends leads to lost opportunities of growth and can leave to a life of bitterness. Good friends are a stabilizing factor in life. They are:

The Voice of reason
The Call of comfort
The Rest for restlessness
The Gentle whisper in the storm
The Reassuring hug in turmoil

That's what friends are for on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

You are the company you keep

2009-10-21T07:22:00.002-04:00

"Don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, "

Proverbs 22:24, NLT

Do you have people at work or at even church who are never happy? They may have better ideas or thoughts but they are always mean! It drives you down and the energy in the room seems to be depleted as soon as they enter the room. There are also people who are positive and forward looking. When they come in to the room, you can feel the energy.

These are the people we need to associate with in life. Much more can be done if we are all working together and are not angry or hot tempered.

Lord, today, let me be a positive influence in someone's life as we travel together on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Seeking Good

2009-10-20T05:26:00.005-04:00

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.

Amos 5:14

Watching the news every day is a good example of how NOT this verse is worked out. Most of what I see on the TV is "seeking evil."

People who are greedy,

people who kill,

people who hate other cultures,

people who are vindictive.

People seeking evil!

God is clear that I need to seek good and we , as Christians, need to seek good.

Lord,be with me today as I seek good on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Hospitality

2009-10-19T05:03:00.000-04:00

Hebrews 13:2 (New International Version)

2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

The Adventure in Middle Grove started a new direction this past weekend. For many years, my home was a place of refuge for others who needed respite or a place to stay in transition.

Saratoga Simple Life has it's first guests. I had someone move in this weekend and another person planned for later this year. It is difficult to find people who want to be part of a home and not just renting a room. I am very careful about who moves in and require a number of recommendations. The person who just moved in just happens to be a friend of someone I have know for over 30 years. This is for another time. What is important is wherever you are in life, whether you own or rent a house or apartment, your home can be a refuge for someone who needs a place to rest for some reason. Today, let this place be a place of refuge on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Let's Party!

2009-10-18T07:30:00.000-04:00

"The king was very angry. The king sent his army to kill those people that killed his servants. And the army burned their city. After that, the king said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready. I invited those people, but they were not good enough to come to my feast. So go to the street corners and invite all the people you see. Tell them to come to my feast.' So the servants went into the streets. They gathered all the people they could find. The servants brought good people and bad people to the place where the wedding feast was ready. And that place was filled with people."

Matthew 22:7-10

Tough start to a party!

God wants to throw a party! So there will be a party!! Just because many people refuse God and do not accept his invitation does not mean he will forget those who have paid the price to come to the banquet. Not only will he reward them, but he is absolutely determined to fill his hall with thankful and rejoicing guests. But he will also deal harshly with those who have dealt harshly with his servants and who have not only spurned his invitation, but been merciless to his beloved children.Yesterday was a day of reflection and meditation on the thoughts in this verse. I am looking forward to the party to meet Rick again.

Lord, I do look forward to the day when all that I hold dear is proved true. While I care those who will not know your salvation, I long for the day when those who have honored Jesus as Lord and have received your grace will get to share in his glory. Until then, I will keep moving on the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Not Close Enough for Comfort

2009-10-17T08:02:00.004-04:00

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

The LORD is ... ... near! ... present! ... close! How do I know? He came close in the manger. He walked among me in ministry to the world. He suffered with me and for me at Calvary. I know that in tragedy, trial, heartbreak, and brokenness he is near to me to save me. So, will my heart be open to him and will I be seeking him to come near? Don't let troubles or heartache lead me to pull away from God or doubt his nearness. Let him draw close to me.Today would have been Rick's 31st birthday. A life cut short... I know where he is, there is no doubt. The tragedy, heart break and brokenness he suffered is gone. He is free from the pain of this side of heaven. He is close to God.

LORD, please be near me today. Make your presence known in my life. Father, I also ask that you bless those I know who are struggling with their faith, and with broken and disappointed
hearts. Please be active in their lives and make your presence known, today, on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Happy Birthday!

Be Still

2009-10-16T07:49:00.004-04:00

"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act."

Psalm 37:7, NLT

Some things I am good at.....

Some not so good!

Not so good

Be still

Wait patiently

The grip of cold causes an increased stillness in the air and the activity of nature begins to slow.

As the weather changes to a slower pace, let me be still in your presence as I wait patiently for your plans to unfold on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Motivational Speaker

2009-10-15T05:15:00.000-04:00

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. "

Hebrews 10:24, NLT

You else do we have but us?

This is not a passive activity.

The verse says, "Think" and "do"

Not just think about things but actual make a difference in another person's life.

To make a real difference.

To make a positive change.

Lord, help me motivate others and be a positive influence on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Being Good

2009-10-15T05:05:00.000-04:00

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
-- Galatians 6:10

I need to be a person who does good deeds! When God gives me the opportunity, I need take it! Not take it so I get accolades or credit. Just to do it because God has touched my heart and I want to share a little bit of his love and compassion with someone else.

The second part of this verse is something where I am benefiting, directly.
I have a small group of friends, near and far who are a blessing far more than they even know.

They are a source of comfort when I need a shoulder to cry on

A source of wisdom when I am stupid

A source of strength when I am weak

A source of encouragement when I am discouraged

A source of love, when I feel unloved A source of care when I need caring

And...

Always a source of friendship, no matter what the situation.

As fellow believers, they are living out the charge in Galatians. The Bible is not just a dead book. It is a living document that seeks and challenges me to put in to action what is said on the pages. My friends are a living example of what this means! My life would not be the same if I did not have the friends who-

"do good for one of the family of believers"

I thank God each day for their testimony of grace and mercy and how they "do good"

Only you are truly good, Father, but I pray that some of that goodness may be seen in me as I serve you today, this week, and until the time the Savior returns for me in glory. Help me to be aware the opportunities that you give me to do good. Most importantly, thank you for friends who know you and how you are using them to minister to me in many different ways as the Adventure in Middle Grove continues...

Sharpen the Blade

2009-10-13T05:14:00.004-04:00

"Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. "

Proverbs 12:18, NLT

I have talked alot about people who do not like their jobs and are generally miserable people. I think there is also too much of "trash talking" in society in general.

Putting people down seems to be a sport these days with it happening in sports to politics.

Respect seems to be something of history.

Healing words a whisper in the noise of an angry society.

A kind gesture not in evidence in a society where "mean people"seem to be in vogue.

BE KIND today and say an encouraging word to a friend or co-worker today.

Be encouraging in someone's life on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Working in the Mill

2009-10-12T07:01:00.004-04:00

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people."
Colossians 3:23

Today is a day off for many people, including me. Sometimes being a government worker is a good thing!

One of the things I see at work every day is people who really hate their jobs. I do not know how they get up every day and have for 30 years. All they do is complain about things they have no control over. I am in the business of serving the people, many of my co-workers would say,their jobs would be great if it wasn't for the people!

I really love my job and the people who work for me. We have a great team with a great attitude to do what is needed to get the job done. ( By the way... they are all union employees )

I would like to think that my attitude of service and going beyond what is needed has makes an impact in their work. We have fun at work and heard an interesting comment from someone who was coming to our building. She said, I come over to your office because everyone is always happy. I don't know if I would go that far but we do have a good time and like what we do.

I look at work as an extension of my faith and God is honored when I do a good job and my group is going beyond ordinary.

Lord, continue to guide me in my work as I look to work for you on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Live in Peace

2009-10-11T07:57:00.004-04:00

"And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful."

Colossians 3:15, NLT

Living in peace with yourself is hard

Living in peace with people close to you is harder

Living in peace with others is real hard

Living with those in the body of Christ.....WOW, that must be impossible!

How many relationships are damaged in all these situations?

Many, I am afraid.

Always live in peace and be thankful on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Save your fork

2009-10-10T07:37:00.001-04:00

I found this story and wanted to share it with you today

The best is yet to come!

There's an old story about an elderly woman who was told by her physician that she probably wouldn't live much longer. Soon thereafter, she called in her family to discuss her funeral arrangements. They talked about how the service would be, where she would be buried, what
kind of casket would be used, etc. As the conversation was winding down, the woman remarked, "There's one thing that's very important: I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

Her children were understandably puzzled by that remark, and one of them couldn't contain his curiosity. "Mom," he said, "what are you talking about?" "I remember eating with my family when I was a young girl," the woman began, "Each of us would help clear away the dishes. Every once in a while, mom would tell us, 'Save your fork!' We children knew what that meant. It meant that mom had fixed us a pie or a cake or some sort of treat. When she said 'Save your fork!' that meant the best was yet to come.

So I want to be buried with a fork in my hand, for the best is yet to come!"

It's a lovely story, a beautiful illustration of hope. In Spanish, the word "esperar" means "hope," but it also means "wait." You wait for a bus, and you hope it's coming; the same word is used in both cases. It's the same in the biblical languages. Our hope is built around the
expectation of something that is to come.

The best is yet to come

The apostle Paul wrote to a group of new Christians in the city of Thessalonica, talking of the reputation these Christians had. He wrote, "They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven" (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). We have hope because we are waiting for someone. He will bring us something wonderful, a life without pain or sadness.

We have hope because we know the best is yet to come. We have hope because we are waiting, waiting for our Lord to come back.Save your fork, on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Fruit of Fall

2009-10-08T08:19:00.003-04:00

"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5, NLT

Sorry for the lateness today....

I am at a conference and I had to do 2 presentations today. One of them involved a live demo which we needed to make sure everything really worked.

I am in Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes of NY. What a spot.

This is a beautiful hotel at the end of the lake.

One of the more attractive places I have stayed.

It is worth a look.

http://www.watkinsglenharborhotel.com/

Could not afford this during the year. Watkins Glen is a world class race track and when racing season is on the hotel is completely fill with people who pay alot of money for rooms!

The other thing the area is know for is grapes. There are over 50 large vineyards in Schuyler County.

I thought it appropriate to look at what the vine and the branches mean and how important connection to the root ( Jesus) and the vine ( his people) is in the grand scheme of life.

If you are growing grapes, the farther away the vine is from the branches, the less nourishment it gets. ...Hence, small grapes. This is why people are in the vineyards in the cold of winter, pruning the vine.

It needs to be close to the root to produce good fruit.

Lord, continue you prune my vine so I may be close to the root today on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Rick

Good Stuff....BAD Stuff

2009-10-07T05:00:00.000-04:00

There are times when it is difficult to understand how “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). Yet, with proper perspective we can “consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2).

God has the unfailing power to bring good from all circumstances that come our way. But what we see as “good” often depends on our perspective.

What is your perspective of where you are right now?

I think we tend to see good as small and bad as BIG

I have been in a situation for a long time where the good things we think small and the bad things big.

Why is this so?

I believe there is a view of God that he is there watching over the earth waiting to strike us down from the mountain. God is a God of justice but he is also a God of love and mercy.

Lord, let me be a person who looks to you for your love and mercy, today, on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

It

Standing on the Podium

2009-10-06T05:00:00.003-04:00

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ... All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things


(Philippians 3:12-15 TNIV).

I MUST REALIZE GOD HAS A GOAL FOR MY LIFE

Paul says, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” The words I want to see are the words, “that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Paul understood that the Lord took hold of his life with a goal in mind.

And this is true for me..

God’s desire is that I grow.

Why is this important? First, It's important to realize that God's goal is not just to "get me in the door". He is not looking to merely "save me", He is working to "transform me" toward holiness.

But second, it is important to realize that God has a job for me to do. He has called me TO something. I am a part of His plan. God DOES have a plan for my life. His plan will lead me to joy, fulfillment, contentment and eternal blessing.

I HAVE NOT ARRIVED YET

Paul not only recognizes that the Lord has a grand purpose for his life, He realizes that he has not arrived at that purpose yet. Paul knows he is not what he should be. He is aware of his faults and the areas where he still needs to grow. Paul recognizes that he is not finished yet.

My Christian life is a life of growth and maturity . . . much like life itself. Growth takes time. As diligently as Paul worked at his faith, he still had not arrived. I get discouraged . . . but I need to keep moving forward.

I am not there yet.

DON’T LIVE IN THE PAST

Paul tells me that if I want to be focused on our growth I must “forget the past”. Obviously Paul is not telling me to literally not remember anything. Certainly I should remember who I was before Christ found me. I should remember the times we have seen God’s faithfulness demonstrated. I need to remember the mistakes I've made so I can avoid them in the future.

Forgiveness is the key from the past that will unlock the future

What it does mean?

When Paul talks about forgetting he is telling me that I can’t and must not live in the past. What happened in the past is past and I must keep going forward. There are two reasons I need to forget the past. First, I have a tendency to fixate on the past. I will hold on to some bad experience and it will become an anchor that weighs me down. I will remember a hurt that someone inflicted and it will eat me up. I will remember a time when I stumbled and I will determine to never try again. How I deal with the painful times of the past will determine how I live in the present. I must learn from the pain and then move on.

What God has forgiven should never be taken as a burden again.

Second, I have a tendency to rest on the past. I will replay the past victories and be content to remember instead of continuing to push ahead. I must forget the past and focus on the present.

He tells me that he is stretching forward and he is reaching for his goal. He is not only concentrating, he is straining forward. The image is like that of running in a race. You see people in a race leaning forward to try to beat their opponent to the tape. This is the image Paul uses for his desire to grow spiritually.

KEEP MY EYE ON THE GOAL

Paul tells me that he must always keep his eyes on the prize. It is like the Olympic athlete who trains tirelessly for a gold medal at the Olympics. When they get tired they imagine what it will be like to stand on the platform and hear the National Anthem of their country being played. That picture spurs them on.

Lord, grant me the power and wisdom to stretch forward to the goal I can only obtain with you on the Adventure in Middle Grove

No Shakin

2009-10-05T05:50:00.001-04:00

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

Hebrews 12:28-29




There  has been unusually seismic activity over the past 3 weeks and Tsunamis events. In the past few days there have been more than usual. One of the things I follow, OK no comments, is earth quakes. After a large event , I go to the US Geological Service and follow seismic activity to see what happens in the rest of the world, There  is usually a reciprocal effect after a large earth quake.

Actually there was a fairly strong quake in California this morning at 1:00 AM

Here is the web site if you want to look.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/

God says something about this.Every earth-made empire will eventually topple. Every man-made structure will decay and fall. God, however, has given us a kingdom that can't rust, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for us. It won't rot or ruin and no thief can break in and steal it away. It will not go away or disappear and will not show up on the seismic scale.

Lord, help me to not be shaken as I rely on you today on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

The Last Standing

2009-10-04T06:01:00.000-04:00

All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.

1 Peter 1:24, New International Version

This seems very appropriate as I sit and look over the fields in the back of the house. The grass is starting to turn brown and the trees are losing the leaves of summer. In the Northeast we really understand this verse as the seasons change and move to the cold and dark of winter. God's word transcends the cold of winter and continues to warm our hearts even in the face of short days and long snow storms.

Lord, let my heart not wither as the leaves falling from the trees but lift me up to be closer to you on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

It is About Relationships

2009-10-03T06:38:00.005-04:00

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. "
Galatians - Chapter 6:2

This is re-write of a piece written over a year ago but I thought it was very appropriate for today.
Yesterday, I had a time out with some very good friends. They are people who care about me just as much as I care about them. It is about what we can do for each other. It is about the importance of relationships.

The woman at the well. Jesus was talking about relationships

The tax collector. Jesus was talking about relationships

The cripple. It was about friends and relationships

The critically ill woman. It was about relationships

The Bible is filled with stories about relationships. My pray today is God would continue to teach me to value the relationships I have in family and friends on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Another Shot in Life

2009-10-02T04:30:00.001-04:00

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23

Last night I had one of my hockey nights. As I approach another birthday, I am continually reminded that my body does not work like it did 20 years ago.I am in great shape and I play goal with people much younger than me.

Alright, this is somewhat insignificant but you might get the idea. Playing goal in a pick up league means I do not get any rest. I play for 1:30 minutes, no stop. All the other players get to change when they are tired. I have to stay there , in goal. There are no subs or between period rests. I have to take shot after shot.

Just like life...

There are no subs and you don't know what happens next...

Just like playing goal!

Al you need to do is to get up, shake it off and get ready for what is next,

If I did not have hope that I was going to stop the next shot, I would quit playing. No matter how bad it gets, I have hope that the next shot will be a save,

Just like Life.

Yes and sometimes I have to admit it.... goals do get scored.

The hope I have in Christ is not like a crazy driver going down the road or the uncontrolled goaltender who has no hope of stopping the next shot.

It is also like the championship racer who who is driving over 2oo mph in a race and his goal is to drive as straight as possible. Even on the turns, the driver tries to drive a straight line.

My hope is just like the driver in a race or the goaltender on the ice, because Christ's promise is faithful!

Lord, my hope is in you. remind me every day to keep it straight on the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

ps. and help me stop those shots!

Hoping for HOPE?

2009-10-01T04:31:00.002-04:00

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:5

Simplicity in life is Found in Hope

I keep coming back to Hope. As I continue to walk down the path I look to the leading of God.
But, I really do not know what he is doing. As I have seen, I can make the plan down the path but God will put my next step down as he guides me.

What is the time period between lifting my foot and allowing God to put in down on the path?

It is the Time HOPE.

It is the time of uncertainty and doubt.
It is the time of restlessness and impatience
It is the time of fear and darkness
It is the time of loneliness and anxiety

It is the Time of HOPE

Hope has lost it's punch in modern western vocabulary. It hardly qualifies as an adequate translation of the meaning in most New Testament passages. Hope is the assurance that what we believe will happen. We could call it spiritual confidence. We have that spiritual confidence because more than just a wish, more than just an emotion, more than just a belief rests in our hearts; God himself lives in us through his Holy Spirit. When we become Christians, Jesus pours out the Spirit upon us (Titus 3:3-7) as God's gift to us (Acts 2:38; 5:32) to cleanse us (1 Cor. 6:11), make us part of the same Body (1 Cor. 12:12-13), and live inside us (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Paul adds one more thing to that list of blessings from God's presence within us -- God's love. We don't just have it; God keeps refreshing it through the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus had promised (John 7:37-39).

HOPE is not rubbing the magic lamp and asking the genie to grant my wish. Hope is a reliance on the Holy Spirit to work in my life and those around me in miraculous ways of forgiveness and healing.

Holy and Almighty God, awesome in power and majestic in holiness, thank you for not only coming to us in Jesus, but thank you also for living in me through your Spirit. Please pour your love into my heart so that the fruit of your grace may flow from me to those around me and everyone around me will know of your grace.

Let HOPE reign today as you plant my next step on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Here today...hererer tomorrow

2009-09-30T05:42:00.002-04:00

^{2 Cor 16-18}So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

Sometimes the Future is closer than you think.

I don't think "hererer"is really a word.

I know the fall is here! I brought out the crock pot and I am cooking the first slow cooking dinner of the fall. I was adding to the dinner I was making today. I bought some little potatoes at the farmers market last week and they looked like a real good addition to the dinner I was making.

How many times in life do we say things or situations are "small potatoes"

I had them in my hands this morning.

The things we can see now are here today, and gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

This this the line between my reality of my mind and the wisdom of God.

The things I can see are those things where I can see where I might play a part in the outcome or the decision. They are the things where I can do something to help.

The things I can see and the celebration are pale in contrast to what God can do with the things that I cannot see.

I cannot do anything

I cannot change anything

I cannot will anything

Only God can work in the unseen...not me

Being on the other side of the line is where hope is shaped and grace and mercy are strengthened as God digs deeper in to my soul to rely on him for his comfort and confidence.

It is His work, not mine...

God is making new life in me each day as his grace unfolds on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

The Right Time...

2009-09-29T06:51:00.000-04:00

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor."

1 Peter 5:6, NLT

Some times the best wisdom in the Bible is also the stuff that is hardest to do. What is it hard? Because there is nothing I need to do... or at least things that I want to do.

I also find this verse a bit odd.

Humble myself

Under the Power of a mighty God.

This is asking me to humble myself before Him when he could do whatever he wants with me.

I humble myself in the sight of God, BECAUSE of all the things he has done AND the power he has.

This puts me in my place, not a place of weakness, but place of Power.

A place in strength, knowing that the God of the universe cares enough about me to lift me up and honor me.

Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord;

Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord.

And He (And He) shall lift (shall lift)

You up (higher and higher)

And He (And He) shall lift (shall lift) you up.

Lord, I place myself at you feet and humble myself in the shadow of your greatness. Thank you for the opportunity to be in your company and for the honor you will give me, in your time, on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Whatever...

2009-09-28T05:53:00.002-04:00

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Philippians 1:27

Sometimes, sharing a a Feeling of graciousness is the best strategy

The Gospel is very clear that it is important to keep honorable and honest in all our dealings and relationships with people.

This is not always easy

I remember a tough time with a friend many years ago who thought I was in the wrong over a certain situation.

I never lost sight of the fact that God has been gracious and patient with me and this is what he wants me to do.

At one point, my friend asked me why I was still being nice to him even though he realized he was not treating me with respect.

I told him because I was I following the mandate to be gracious in every situation.

Don't get me wrong this was not easy or fun, God honored my efforts and restored our friendship . This was not for me but for the glory and honor of God.

Lord, use me to be honorable and continue to give me wisdom as I strive to be honorable in life on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Friends Forever

2009-09-27T07:20:00.005-04:00

"I thank my God every time I remember you" (Philippians 1:3
NIV).

Serious Friendships are a gift from God

One of the things critical in my life over the past year is the importance of friends. Not just the "she/he is my friend, type of friend"

No I mean people who will be with me no matter the circumstances or situation.

Do you have someone like that in your life? These are people you love and who love you. No matter what goes on in your world you know they are there. If you are flying high, they're there. If you are hanging out in the valley they are there. They love you and you love them, and every time you remember them you are thankful and a smile comes over your face. The Message says, "Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God."

It could be a passing thought, a lingering daydream, a certain song, a clip from a favorite movie, or a familiar Scripture. Every time they cross your mind, you give thanks to God for them.

Take a break and make a list of these people who bring joy to your heart. As you list them, spend a moment expressing to God your thankfulness for that person and why you are glad they are in your life. Call them. Text them. Email them. Post something on their Facebook wall. Tweet them. Or, if you can, look them in the eye and say, "I thank my God every time I remember you."

How about old friends that you've kept in touch with over the years. These are the old friends whom you hardly ever see, and have limited contact with through occasional phone calls, rare visits, and connections through the Internet. You can be thankful for the comfort of knowing they are always there. These are the old friendships that are so real and so strong that when you do have occasions to speak it's as if you've seen each other every day of your lives.

Lord, thank you for my friends who are friends for eternity. Thank you for them as they walk along side of me on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

"I thank my God every time I remember them."

Got your back covered

2009-09-26T07:15:00.007-04:00

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23:6

My Shepard and Friend will never leave me or forget me

God is my Shepherd. My destiny is tied to his goodness and mercy which daily surrounds me until he brings me home to dwell with him forever. I really like this verse for a few reasons. There are many times when the Bible talks about God leading me on the path or shining the light on my path.

This verse has a somewhat different meaning.

God is not only leading me on the path...

He is following me!

His goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.

God is not only ahead of me but he has got my back covered too.

I am surrounded by his love in front and in back

Lord, please surrounded my heart in your goodness and reach through me and my influence to extend your love to others. Make my heart strong and continue to let me find my hope in you on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

NO, NO, NO

2009-09-24T04:59:00.006-04:00

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

Proverbs 21:30, New International Version

Serious planning takes a Firm understanding of God's character

What do I lack many times?

WISDOM

INSIGHT

PLANNING

I think of many times where I went in the right direction. I was just ahead of God trying to drag him along with me.

Hmmmm,,,, some how that did not work

I need to be continually reminded that

MY wisdom

MY Insight

MY Planning

...really do not matter much in the grand scheme of things. When is the last time I created the heavens and the earth?

Looking to God for these things is a more of a strategy, not acting on my own.

What is the benefit.

If I look to God for Wisdom, planning and insight...

HE is with me.

Nothing will fail.

I am not always sure of the outcome but I am sure that God will be with me if I look to him.

Lord, let me look intently at you and please give me...

YOUR INSIGHT

YOUR WISDOM

YOUR PLANS

as I put one foot in front of the other today on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Some Times it Takes Time

2009-09-24T04:56:00.002-04:00

What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted.
Proverbs 10:24

Serving justice should not Fear us since it is God's job

Has there ever been a person or relationship in you life that just "plain does evil" It could be a person at work, someone in a volunteer organization or it could even be church. It could be a person who has no regard for truth or the well being of others. Using others for their own good is their mode of operation. Seeking peace or cooperation is not even in their language.

They are just wicked people!

The wicked fear the triumph of goodness, holiness, and righteousness. They fear not being in control. They fear death's overtaking them. The righteous desire the triumph of goodness,
holiness, and righteousness. They offer their lives to be controlled by the Holy Spirit of God. They recognize death is an enemy, but one that has been conquered by their Savior. In times like these, isn't it comforting to know that the things that the wicked fear are really things that they can be sure of receiving! Let me be gracious in my dealings of others. Let me be the positive influence at work and in the battle of life.

O LORD God, please bring your justice, mercy, and righteousness to triumph in the lives of all who seek after you and your will. Please make my heart more like yours in regard to evil and those who perpetuate it, and stir in me a deeper passion to lead those to Christ who do not know you on the Adventure in Middle Grove.