BOWERS CHRISTMAS 2007

M.L's side of the family met for Christmas at the Best Western in Emporia over the weekend. Here are a few pics.

The "bingo table". Of course, Luke's mouth is open.

"...but we want to open presents now"

The newly engaged Keith and Cheryl - congrats!

Grandma Bowers and Bev checking out the loot.

Had lots of fun and ate waaaaaaay too much!!

JUST CHRISTMAS 2007

Here are a few pics of the Justs from our travels this past week to see our family. Check out the previous blog for Bower's pictures (M.L.'s side of family).

Little Brayden in his Jumperoo he got for Christmas.

The family at Eric's house in Topeka on the 26th.

A four generation picture of Justs.

All the Justs at dad's house in Aulne. We clean up pretty good don't we?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Hear these words of good news once again from the gospel of Luke:

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

What else could I add? Have a blessed Christmas, everyone!!

MONDAY MUSINGS!!

A few thoughts as another week is upon us:

What a great Christmas program last night at the church. The kids did great. Thanks to all who helped make it such a great evening.

We received some much needed moisture this past week. A little rain, a little ice, and some snow to top it off on Friday. Thankfully the ice wasn't as bad as it was to our east. Because of the weather 2 basketball games were postponed. Will make one up at Oakley on Tuesday night.

My folks celebrate their 50th on Thursday. ML and I are going to make a quick trip Wednesday to take them out to eat in McPherson. Will return that night. Congrats to them. See......., it can be done.

Kyle finishes classes this week. He'll be done Wednesday at noon with two semester tests in the morning. He finished his college algebra class last week. Hallelujah!

We're working on a new web page at the church. The address is www.leotiumc.com but we are having a few little mishaps. Bear with us as we work to correct the miscues.

Only a week left until Christmas. Are you ready? Not talking about shopping and presents and all. I'm speaking of your heart. It's so easy to get caught up in all the busyness of the season and before you know it, the 25th has come and gone. I hate when that happens to me- most of the time it is my own fault. So when you all get together with your families why not take a moment to read Jesus' birth accounts in Luke and Matthew before you open presents. That's what we do every year and it helps keep everything else in perspective.

If you live in Leoti or are coming to town to see family I invite you to the Christmas eve service on the 24th at 6:00 pm. It promises to be a special time.

Hope to post once more before Christmas. If not, have a most blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

"PICKEN AND GRINNIN"

Todd and Melissa came out this weekend with some of the youth group from their church (and a couple dads) to go pheasant hunting. Had a great time although it was cold and icy. Saw a lot of birds and bagged quite a few. Lots of fun. The first night saw a little video game entertainment at our house. Note the following pictures.







Ever played Guitar Hero? Neither had Melissa but she certainly got hooked. It became addictive. She's not quite ready for the expert level but look out Eddie Van Halen.

Todd ready to rock and roll with Eric Wilson in his favorite position. Ironically, Eric's mom was our neighbor in Aulne in the 80's.

Kyle and Corey playing the expert level. They were awesome with Corey taking home the high point trophy. Browniew won the "crumbs on the floor" award.

My brother Rod and his boy Evan came out to hunt with us. Craig Sheppard was our "hunting guide". Brock was the designated "pheasant gutter". A great weekend together.

LOCAL OUTREACH PROJECT!!

I'm so glad you all enjoyed my last blog which was like the Seinfeld show - all about nothing. Now for something of more import.

I've been trying to be able to post all day but had some computer gliches. Anyway, some of you know that Marge Davis has macular degeneration and it has been a real struggle for her. However, tomorrow she and Dale are going to Oberlin to be fitted with a new type of glasses that will enable her to see faces, possibly read musical notes for the piano, and give her some new focus in a world that has been quite blurry for several years. These glasses however are quite expensive - over $3,000 so many at the church wanted to help by giving a donation on her behalf. If you would like to do so, please make your check out to the church and designate it "Davis". We'll make sure it is used to help offset the expense of the glasses. We tried to get the word out over the weekend but not all were made aware so now you know.

Marge is so excited and I am excited that we can be of help to her. Thanks for your help!

Keep checking!

Don't worry - I'm thinking.......................................... hmm........................... okay................... what do you think about......................no, wait a minute.........................not that............................how about when..................................

I'll get back to you.............................

FAMILY FUN!!

Have you ever played Wii? It's an interactive video game and as you can see ML and her sister are boxing (on Thanksgiving day). I've never seen my wife get so excited about punching somebody's lights out. Loved every minute of it.

Here you see ML and little Brayden at Eric and Andrea's house in Topeka. He's really grown hasn't he? Grandma had a great time.

And here you see the little man sitting on Grandpa's lap. He's quite relaxed and at peace with the world. Sure enjoyed him. Hopefully it won't be so long before I see him the next time. Actually it will be at Christmas. He JUST might get a present or two.

Had a great time with all our family on both sides. I'm truly blessed.

BRAYDEN BOUND!!

Okay, here's the deal. We're heading out on Thursday to catch up with some family for Thanksgiving. First to Newton for a get-together with M.L.'s side of the family. Then that night we will stay at Todd and Melissa's in McPherson. The next morning we will go to my folks for a dinner around noon or so. That evening/night we will head to Topeka to see the little man (and Eric and Andrea). I've not seen him since August so we have a little grandpa/grandson time to take care of. Looking forward to it.

So, you all have a great Thanksgiving holiday. And be careful that you don't forget to offer thanks to the Lord in the midst of the busy weekend (see my Pastor's Corner in the Standard).

Blessings. P.R.

WHO IS THAT MUSIC MAN??

I was told this morning that if Kyle didn't know what to do when he got out of school he could always be a traveling salesman (aka Harold Hill).

Kyle and Remy
(Professor Hill and Marcellus)
Kyle and Jessica
(Professor Hill and Mrs. Paroo)

Dustin, Kyle, and Remy

(Charlie the angry salesman, Hill, and Marcellus)

What a great job by the cast of The Music Man. It was wonderful entertainment and the hard work sure paid off. Tori (the director) deserves a lot of credit, especially in light of some of the "extra stress" that was handed to her. I hope a lot of you were able to attend. It was well worth the time and the money.

Great job Kyle! We're proud of you!!!

MONDAY MUSINGS

By the way, did I tell you I'm going to be grandpa....again? May 23 is the due date. Todd and Melissa the parents to be.

Speaking of grandkids, check out Todd's blog and click on the video of Brayden (www.toddjust.blogspot.com ) Sounds like his dad... and has he grown or what??

Is the devil working overtime to destroy marriages or what?? How do you suggest we help those whose relationships are in trouble?

Kyle is the lead role in the Music Man this weekend. Come out and see him and the rest of the cast if you get a chance. Should be a blast!! (Trumpet blast).

How does Scot McKnight have the time to blog as much as he does? I have not a clue. (See www.jesuscreed.org )

Men's group on Friday mornings at 6:30. It's a great time. If you've missed lately, come on back. We eat a little breakfast and chew on the Word.

Teresa and Kevin - great job Sunday morning!

Anybody go to the Toby Mac concert on Saturday - how about a report?

Anyone have 2 k-state/missouri football tickets for sale? Let me know asap.

Pray for rain!!

Have a great week - P.R.

EMMAUS (pt.2)

After returning home from Garden on Sunday I am convinced that God uses a "plethra" of methods to draw his people to him through special and powerful ways. Obviously the Walk to Emmaus is one of them. In my prior post someone responded in a way that suggested the walk as being a prerequisite or and additonal work that must take place to get "closer to the gates of heaven". Far from it. Yes, it draws us closer to "Him" but JESUS is the only "gate" and faith in him allows us to enter. The Walk is merely one of many tools used by God to grow in our relationship with Christ. Disciple Bible Study, the Ashram retreat, small group bible studies, Promise Keepers, Women of Faith, etc., etc., are all used by God to draw us closer to him in faith. Praise God for the ways he helps us grow and the ways he "fires us up" for him. Would I like everyone to go on the walk? Sure! But it's by far not the only way people can draw close to Jesus. I'm for whatever God chooses to do.

We all know that life is filled with mountaintop and valley experiences. Why not pursue and experience the mountaintop when you can? There are always plenty of valleys out there.

I am so thankful for what God did in the lives of the women this past weekend. It was awesome to see him work in their lives and am excited for others to hear the stories.

Never apologize about an experience with God. Never!

Have a great week!

ANOTHER AWESOME WALK!!

Just returned from participating in the Walk to Emmaus at Garden City. It's always amazing to see what God does during those 72 hours together. Actually, it's miraculous.

It was humbling once again to be on the team. I was blessed to work with some unbelievable guys led by Steve Mayo (Lay director) and Tod Anthony (spiritual director). And then to observe God's work in the guys from the first day to the last was great - especially watching the guys from Leoti.

Thanks for praying for us all. Now our attention turns towards the women who will be attending this Thursday - Michelle Sheppard, Teresa Clark, Kendra Perry, Marilyn Wilbur, and Cindy Crays. Please keep them in your prayers. They are about to meet God in a new and exciting way.

How about some thoughts from some of you who attended who are reading this here blog? Love to hear from you.

You locals - ask Kevin, Jason, Craig, Gary, or Matt about their experience. See what they have to say.

De Colores!!

BY THE WAY, DID I TELL YOU.........

I'm going to be a GRANDPA -AGAIN!!!!! Congrats to Todd and Melissa. We are super excited as our little Grandson Brayden will have someone to play with soon. Melissa is due the 23rd of May. (Kyle graduates the 17th. Should be interesting). This is an answer to prayer. Yep, I'm going out to order my cane and hearing aids today. You know how it is being a grandpa and all.

Other excitement - Thursday the 18th kicks off the fall Walk to Emmaus in Garden City. We have 10 people from Leoti going plus a couple of us working the team. Be in prayer for Gary Wilbur, Jason Perry, Craig Sheppard, Kevin Clark, Matt Crays, Todd Schumacher, and me as we head to Garden tomorrow at 4:30. Can't wait to see what God has up his sleeve. (Does God have sleeves - or even arms for that matter?)

If you want to read a great blog, check out jesuscreed.org. Scot McKnight is a friend of ours from Chicago. He'll make you think.

Have a great weekend. Stay tuned for grandbaby and Emmaus updates.

Signing off...........................

P.R.

BITTERSWEET

I was saddened to hear of the death of one of my best friend's mom, Ellie Zerger, this past week at Marion. Actually, she died on my birthday, October the 4th. It was totally unexpected and was a shock to us all.

In the picture you see Reuben (Ellie's husband), and Julie and Tim, great friends from high school. I made a red eye trip to Marion Tuesday afternoon to spend a little time with them. It was a great evening although I wish it could have been for a different reason. It had been years since I'd seen them so we had a little catching up to do. Talked about our great times in school and especially the great times at their house where Ellie was more than hospitable. Needless to say, I never went hungry when I was at their house. She was such a great person and always treated me as one of her own. I am grateful I will see her again by virtue of our faith in Christ.

It's too bad that we seem to let time get away from us to the point that we don't stay in touch like we should. But, as is the case with good friends, when we do get together it's as if we have not missed a beat. Such was the case on Tuesday evening.

My prayers continue to go out to the family. I'd ask you to keep them in your prayers as well.

HMMMMMMMM..........

In case you are a person who likes to ponder.....................................


The Cubs will never again win the World Series. Never!

The Chiefs?? 10 yards rushing against the Jaguars? Are you kidding?? Larry Johnson should pay ME to watch him.

The Wildcats? Come on Josh Freeman. Maybe a little emotion? You had a chance to be a hero.

Hillary Clinton?? Enough said.

USC? Sorry for chuckling.

NBA and NHL?? Who cares?????

The WCHS Indians - can't expect to win when padding out only once a week and not practicing when the whole team is available to do so.

Network television - I've seen better stuff in a garbage dump.

Hallelujah, the wind has finally died down. Wow!

Awesome fall harvest - don't forget the Lord of the harvest. It's not about us.

WOW, WHAT A WEEK!

Trying to catch up a little today after being gone most of the week. You can see a couple pictures from when I was in Towanda - one with Todd who helped me with music on Monday night and their youth group from the night before. Good pizza and a great bunch of kids. The meetings went very well. God blessed the time.

Returned Wednesday morning in time to get ready for God Squad that night. Left for Denver the next morning to see Chris (see above picture). He's in pretty good shape for the shape he's in. It's going to take a lot of rehab - keep him in your prayers.

While in Denver I was having some problems with a tooth - lots of pain. To make a long story short, I ended up having a tooth pulled Friday morning in Garden City. I was never so glad to have a tooth pulled. Hallelujah!

Went to Kyle's ball game Friday night and then returned to Garden for an Emmaus meeting on Saturday. I'm thrilled tomorrow is Sunday - possibly a day of rest?? (After church, not during).

CALL TO PRAYER!

You will remember that I was privileged to baptize Chris Antonelli back in July in our local swimming pool. Chris was involved in a serious accident this morning and was flown to Denver for evaluation, surgery, etc.. Would you commit to pray for Chris for successful surgery, minimal pain, and a quick recovery and healing? Thanks in advance for your prayers and for what the Lord is going to do.

JUST meandering about.........

Typical weather for this time of year. In the 50's earlier this week. Today it is in the 90's. Crazy. I love the fall so let's get on with the cooler weather.

A year ago I just returned from an elk hunt in the Rockies. Couldn't go this year but a few of the guys went. However, the elk are still safe and sound. No luck for the guys (except for a little bad luck with a horse). But, beautiful weather so hey, that's worth something.

The high school f-ball team had a rough go again this last Friday losing to undefeated Lakin. Our offense is still looking to get into sinc. Elkhart should provide the remedy for what ails us this weekend.

How bout the KSU Wildcats? Looking good. Can't wait to play the hawks.

Where has the time gone? It is the middle of September. How can that be? It always get real busy this time of year. The farmers are in the thick of things - corn, milo, planting wheat, etc. The church is in high gear with God SQuad, studies, meetings, and prep for budget and conference.

The Walk to Emmaus is a month away. Sounds like 10 from the area are going. That's awesome. Some of us on the team were at the training yesterday and it looks like it will be another GREAT time.

I'm heading to Towanda this weekend to lead some renewal services - Sunday through Tuesday. Looking forward to it but have a lot to do prior to Saturday. Keep me in your prayers. They are a great bunch of folks over there. (Anyone from Towanda or from that area reading this?)

I've been thinking a lot about worship lately - styles, music, liturgy, the focus, etc.. I'm curious - How do you define worship and what constitutes "good worship" for you?

Later......... P.R.

Grandpa update and misc. stuff....

As you can see, we have one happy family - Eric, Andrea, and little Brayden. Kyle took these pics last weekend when he and M.L. went to Topeka to check on the little man. All is going well. Brayden is gaining some weight - eating well ( a Just tradition). Mary Lou made the quilt that Brayden is laying on. Sounds like a grandma thing doesn't it?

Kyle's f-ball team took it on the chin last night losing 26-6. Our defense played great only allowing 2 tds on 2 big plays. The other tds came on two interceptions for scores. Over all, we played with them (Johnson) - a big team. next week gets tougher playing undefeated Lakin.

Listened to Todd broadcast Bethany football on the internet for a little while tonight. He and another guy are the "Voices of the Swedes" this year. They sounded good.

Preaching from John 4 tomorrow, the last part of it, following the woman at the well passage. Read it - great stuff.

Cooler weather has arrived. Ahh yes - I love fall.................................

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

The best time of the year has finally arrived - fall and football. Last Friday night saw the Indians of Leoti defeat the Indians of Satanta in a rather strange game. After leading 20 - 0, we tried to give it away, only to see the last pass by Satanta caught and downed at the 1/2 yard line, just short of what would have tied the scored at 20. Time ran out and we walked off with a win, 20-14.

Over all, we played pretty well but showed that we were out of shape come the fourth quarter. The picture above is Kyle punting. He had a good night with one TD reception, a 2 point reception and 2 quarterback sacks, one for a fumble. Also did will kicking and punting. The team travels to Johnson for a much tougher game this Friday.

The fourth quarter reminded me of how we need to stay in spiritual shape. It's when we get tired and worn out that the devil goes to work. A good reminder to be disciplined in prayer, reading scripture, and worship - both individually and corporately.

The next kickoff is only days away. Time to get in shape.

FUTURE WILDCAT!!

The cats lead the way in the recruiting process for Brayden to play football in 18 years. We'll keep you posted. Our plans are for him to support his grandparents - both Murrays and Justs - once he is picked in the first round following his years at KSU. Rah, Rah, Rah!!!

1 DAY OLD AND COUNTING!!

JUST happen to have a few more pictures for you. Little Brayden is doing great - eating well, testing the diapers, using his lungs, sleeping, and especially loves being held by grandpa and grandma. Todd and Melissa drove out this afternoon and got to see the little man. I have some picture of them with him as well. Kyle can't wait to see him - probably next weekend with M.L.

Thanks for your calls and notes of congratulations. We appreciate them and you. See you on Sunday. P.R.

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!

We (Rick and Mary Lou) would like to announce the birth of our first grandchild Brayden Matthew Just who was born August 23 at 9:30 pm at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka. Brayden weighed in at 8lbs 7 oz. and was 21 3/4 inches long (not a typo). Eric and Andrea Just are the extremely proud parents. All went well after a rather long day.

Thanks to all who have been praying these past few months. God has indeed answered our prayers and we now look forward to seeing what He has in store for little Brayden in the future. Stay tuned as I'm sure there will be more pictures.

As Andrea exclaimed following Brayden's birth - "Praise the Lord".

I am now officially a Grandpa!! - P.R.

"BACK TO THE BASICS"

Had the privilege of going to the Otterbein UMC in Russell, KS this past weekend to preach/teach a series based on the theme "Back to the Basics". We gathered on Friday evening for a light meal together followed by some worship and the first session. I was able to use a power point presentation for both the music and the preaching and it worked great. It was very helpful. On Saturday, we got together at 9 a.m. for the 2nd session, took a break around 10:15, and then concluded with the 3rd session at around noon. Of course, we ate together to wrap things up ( a meal was catered in).

Thanks so much for the excellent hospitality offered by the folks at the church. Special thanks to Dr. Starkey who coordinated our time together. I appreciated the openness of those who were in attendence to what was being taught. The Spirit was sweet and it was a blessed time. (After I left, the church had a youth event and a concert on Sunday so it was a good weekend for them).

Now I turn my sights to the upcoming renewal services which will be held the end of September in Towanda and the Walk to Emmaus in Garden City in October. Good stuff.....

STILL ALIVE!

Yeah, I know. I've not updated this blog for a while. A little under the gun right now. This past weekend saw ML and I heading to Larned for Dana's wedding. I had the privilege of officiating and all went great. Got to see some of our friends from back that way as well. A good time.

I've been involved in a bunch of meeetings lately - gearing up for the school year, getting ready for a youth campout this weekend, preparing for a new God Squad year, and meeeting with fellow ministers in the area and others in the community as it pertains to opportunities that have been presented to us.

I head for Russell on Friday for a preaching/teaching weekend at the Otterbein UMC. I will lead worship Friday night and Saturday and preach and teach focusing on the theme of "Back to the Basics". So I am busy trying to get ready for that. It's beginning to come together.

Well, some of you have been concerned that I have not mentioned the grandbaby lately. Just so you know, I plan on being a grandpa by the end of the month. (Paying attention, Andrea?) The timer is ticking - tick,tick, tick, tock.................................

Have a great week!

ANOTHER FAIR HAS COME AND GONE - WHEW!

Ah yes, another year at the fair has come to a close. Because our fair depends soley upon volunteers of the community it takes a lot of hard work and sweat to see that everything goes off with a hitch. Oh, there's always a few hiccups but it was another great year at the county fair.

Congratulations to the 4-H kids and all their hard work in the various exhibits. As you can see, Kyle and Macey are showing their pigs to the judge while Tristen poses with his steer for a picture. The top picture is Craig and Macey leading off the parade with the privilege of carrying the stars and stripes. That was quite and honor. And the horses cooperated too - that was a plus.

Thanks to all who helped with the food booth and the church booth - there are too many to mention without missing someone but you know who you are. It was a lot of work but well worth it. Now we turn our attention to the beginning of school. It's ridiculous that it starts so soon but that's just my opinion. In the meantime, pass the cherry pie, top it off with ice cream, and away we go.

ANOTHER ONE GOES UNDER!

As the sun went down so did John Gerstberger - under the water that is. Congratulations to John who was baptized in front of his family and friends in his yard at the home place. John professed his faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour Saturday evening, the 28th of July. John shared his faith story and we, his friends, family, and the Thursday noon men's group, were privileged to share in his joining the family of God in baptism.

Thanks, John, for allowing me to participate in your special evening. It truly was a blessing.

P.R.

IDENTITY CRISIS!

I was speaking with someone this past week and somehow we got on the subject of how people define themselves. In the midst of the discussion we both agreed that almost everyone sees themselves as a success or a failure based upon what they do or the things they have as opposed to who they really are. But that is dangerous ground to tread upon if that is the case.

Does it mean that if you don't have a college degree or work in upper management you are a nobody? Does it mean that if you shop at Walmart instead of Dillards you have not yet arrived? Does it mean that one's self-worth is merely based upon what one has or does for a living?

What about those who work hard day in and day out, who are loyal to their employer, who arrive to work on time, who do what they say they'll do, who are honest? Is that person not a person of value? What about morals and ethics and character? Are these not better benchmarks when it comes to defining a person then what they own or what they do for a living? And haven't you seen those who seem to have very little with regards to money and material things more happy than those who seem to "have it all"?

As Christians, our identity is in Christ - who he is and what he has done through his life, death, and resurrection. It's not about status or how we compare to others. It's about what it means to follow Jesus Christ - to love God and to love others. When we deny ourselves (put Christ first) we find that we don't have to measure up to the standards the world throws at us. Ultimately, they are meaningless. It's about responding to Christ in faith and doing our best for him and being satisfied with knowing that we are children of the living God.

I'm so glad that God looks at our hearts instead of our resumes, accomplishments, or assets (or liabilities). For it is when we give our hearts to him that we attain fulfillment and meaning in our lives. That way, at the end of the day, no matter how good or bad the day was, we can say with certainty, "I am a child of God. I know who I am and whose I am."

I know one thing, that sure takes the pressure off of me. What about you?

IMMERSED IN GOD'S LOVE!

What a great evening we had together last Friday for our annual splash bash. Great food, great fun, and great fellowship. But the greatest "happening" of the evening was the opportunity to baptize Christ Antonelli into God's grace and love and family. As you know, sometimes the best plans are those that are "unplanned". I didn't realize Chris was going to be at the pool and when I saw him there the light bulb flashed. He recently spoke to me about being baptized and joining the church but the dates did not jive until Friday evening. I called Chris to the side of the pool and he grinned and said, " I bet I know what you're going to ask me". Sure enough, it was about him being baptized in the presence of the the church family. As you can see, the rest is history or should I say "His story".

Congratulations to Chris!! And thanks to all who witnessed this great evening and received and accepted Chris into the family of God. Doesn't get any better than this does it?

"THIS TIME...."

Okay, here's the deal as it pertains to the last question on the previous blog - I was in Georgia a few months ago and Grace Imathiu, a wonderful woman from Africa who now resides in Wisconsin was sharing from Gensesis 29:31 ff. I've pondered her thoughts and this text ever since.
You may recall the story of Jacob and Leah. Jacob worked for Leah's father for 7 years for the hand of his daughter. BUT, it was not Leah he loved, it was Rachel. After some trickery by Laban, (her father) Leah became Jacob's wife with the agreement that Jacob would work another 7 years for the hand of Rachel. Meanwhile God saw that Leah was not loved by Jacob so he opened her womb and she became pregnant. Not once, but four times, all four times giving birth to sons (a blessing in that culture). The first son was named Reuben signifying the fact that "the Lord has seen my misery". The second son was named Simeon, meaning "one who hears" and signified that the Lord had heard her cry that she was not loved by Jacob. The 3rd son was named Levi which sounded like the word "attached" signifying Leah's desire for Jacob to become attached to her, to love her. Lastly, she gave birth to Judah, derived from a word signifying "praise" saying this time I will praise the Lord.
Aren't we a lot like Leah? Don't we yearn for fairness and justice, to be loved? Surely we can relate to Leah. After all, all she wanted was to be loved by her husband Jacob. But it was not until the 4th child was born, Judah, that her focus changed. Instead of being consumed by Jacob and her desire for him to love her, a transformation took place as she responded, "THIS TIME I WILL PRAISE THE LORD" (v.35) After all her struggles, her pain, her feelings of being unloved, she shifted her eyes to the Lord and praise came forth.
Could it be possible that we need to refocus? Any Leah's out there?

"I DO"

Congrats to Amber and Mike Jewell who were married on Saturday evening, 7-07-07 at 7:00 p.m. in Burlington, Kansas. I was privileged to officiate the wedding. The top picture is Amber dancing with her dad Daniel, M.L.'s brother. Everything went great and we had a wonderful time getting together with quite a few of M.L.'s family.

Speaking of family, our family was able to be together for the first time since Christmas. That was great. As you can see, Andrea is carrying our little grandbaby (did I tell you I was going to be a grandpa?). She and Eric drove down from Topeka while Todd and Melissa came over from McPherson. Todd also sang in the wedding while M.L. played piano and Kyle videotaped the service. We all kept busy. Eric did mention to me that the sermon I preached at this wedding was a lot shorter than the one I shared at he and Andrea's. Who's keeping track, anyway?

By the way, other congratulations go out to Amanda (Fruechting) and Shawna (Hett) - daughters of good friends of ours from back home who were also married this past weekend. Must be something in the water.


Okay, for you locals here in the west ( or anyone, for that matter). Here's your homework question for the week. What did the names of Leah's (Jacob's wife) sons mean and what is the relevance of their names to her and to us today? Leave your comments. Have a great week.

IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING

Okay, for those of you who are waiting for new material - here we go.

Just got back from vacation a few days ago. It was good. Saw a lot of family and friends as we toured the big state of Kansas. Check this itinerary:

6/17 - Got together with my folks and my two brothers and family for Fathers day at Newton. Stayed at Aulne for night.

6/18 - Went to Topeka to see Eric and Andrea and little grandchild -to-be. Pigged out at the Hu Hut? for supper (like a Mongolian Barbeque). Stayed in their new house. It's great and we had a super time.

6/19 - Drove to Winfield to stay with the Rankins. Saw all the kids but Luke (who was flying to England). Caught up on old times. Drank way too much coffee, latte, cappacino, etc.

6/20 - Drove to Aulne area and ate supper with Eldon and Rhonda Hett - friends since we were all pups. Embellished our elk hunting stories. The girls talked about Shawna's upcoming wedding and other asundry things. Drove later that night to McPherson and stayed at Todd and Melissa's house (they were gone to New Mexico).

6/21 - Strangely enough we went to Salina in the morning (I had a dentist appointment?). Had to do some shopping and other stuff throughout the day. Drove to Marion in the afternoon to the Fruechtings. Also more wedding talk (Amanda). Again - friends from the good old days. Lots of fun. Stayed there for night.

6/22 - Went and saw M.L.'s dad at the nursing home. Her mom was there too. Took her and Greg (M.L.'s brother) out for lunch. Nice and relaxing time. Drove back to Aulne to my brother's place where I went out to the field (harvest time) and M.L. and Lynn goofed off and went to Hillsboro to spend our hard earned money. I rode around with Rod for several hours, helped them move some equipment, then headed back to Aulne where M.L. and I drove back to McPherson and stayed at Todd's again.

6/23 - Took it easy in Mcpherson - mowed Todd's lawn while M.L. planted some flowers for Melissa. Goofed off. That evening we got together with some other great friends - Bruce and Sandy. Went to their house for a little while and then did the Methodist thing - we went and ate. Mexican food, no less. Spent a couple hours at the restaraunt. Got caught up with each others lives. Went back and stayed at Todd's.

6/24 - Todd and Melissa got home in the night. In the morning we went to church with them in McPherson, threw a pizza in the oven at noon, and took a nap in the afternoon. The went back to Salina where I helped Todd return a van to Abilene that they used for their mission trip. Said our good byes, grabbed a hamburger, and then went and picked up Kyle and Erin Gerstberger who were being dropped off in Salina from their trip to D.C. Left Salina at 9:00 and got home around 1:00 a.m.

Sadly M.L. went back to work on Monday while I took the rest of the week catching up at home with miscellaneous things as well as doing a little reading, praying, visioning etc..

The next blog I'll fill you in on some of those thoughts. In the meantime, I'm thankful for friends and family, many whom we were able to see this past week or so.

TAKING A BREAK!

Just finished VBS today (the 15th) and am redirecting my thoughts towards Sunday. Like the kid's song says, it's been a "Wild Wild Ride".

M.L. and I will be leaving after church Sunday (when the preacher 's finished) for a little R&R - going to see some family and friends across the state. No major agenda or tight schedule - a good thing.

Pray for our family - we will be somewhere in Kansas, Kyle will be in Washington D.C., Eric will be in San Francisco for work, and Todd and Melissa will be in New Mexico on a mission trip. Andrea and little grandson-to-be will be taking it easy at home ( we get to see them on Monday).

Looking forward to a little time off - I'll be back on the 1st of July. Blessings .......................

P.R.

SADDLE UP YOUR HORSES!

Well, here we are again. VBS is upon us as the kids get together for a great adventure at Avalanche Ranch. As you can see, there is a little bit of a western theme going on here (seems to fit doesn't it?). All of the kids are wanted by God and are learning a lot about how much he loves them and cares for them and desires their love for him as well. It's been great so far - 99 kids today, hoping to break 100 tomorrow. So here we go. Sunday you'll see and hear more about it.

CRAZY BUT FUN WEEKEND!

Well, we survived the 1st annual God Squad campout at Camp Lakeside and what a great time it was. We took 24 kids, 7 high schoolers, and 4 adults to Lakeside for the weekend and played together, worshipped and sang together, had Bible studies together, goofed off and ate together. We gathered around the campfire at night, got up early in the mornings, climbed hills, swam, launched water balloons, and just had an all around good time. The top picture is the group prior to leaving for home on Sunday. the 2nd picture was taken during the "fill the pitcher with food" game which was actually a little gross, but of course, the kids loved it.

A special thanks to Aimee for organizing the weekend. She did a great job. Also thank to the high schoolers who helped out as counselors - Megan, Megan, Meghan (crazy), Breck, Phillip, Trenton, and Matthew, and to Ann S. and Arthur (from Baxter Springs), the other two adults.

The weather was super, the food was wonderful, the kids were great, and God showed up, just as we expected. So thanks to all of you for sponsering the kids, sending the kids, providing transportation for the kids, praying for the kids, etc.etc. Next year??? My guess is a big resounding "yes"!

A CAMPING WE WILL GO!

Well, here we go. We are taking 26 kids from God Squad (many pictured above) to camp Lakeside tomorrow afternoon. Aimee has put together a great weekend with chapel time, games, recreation, food, food, food, campfire and other fun stuff. Keep us in your prayers. Thanks!

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!

I'm back from Annual Conference and am settling in for another year of ministry here in the big city of Leoti (according to the appointment set by the Bishop last Friday). While I was gone Asher Crowley (see picture) passed away at the young age of 102. He was a cowboy extraordinaire. The memorial service will be on Tuesday at 2:00 where we will remember and celebrate his life.

Can you imagine all the changes he saw during his lifetime? Unbelievable!! And to top it off, he was married to his wife for 79 years. She still survives. What a great example to all those who think they can't make it for a year without throwing in the towel. He and Myrtle truly understood their vows they made 79 years ago.

The next few weeks are crazy but I'll try and keep up with this here blog thing. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Heading East

Tomorrow morning I will be heading for Hutchinson for the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Actually, I will be attending a financial seminar for pastors in the afternoon followed by a Board of Ordained Ministry meeting in the evening. The conference starts on Wednesday until Friday evening. Wednesday evening I am in charge of a banquet for Kansans for United Methodist Renewal of which I am the president. Our speaker is the President of the Mission Society based out of Norcrosse, Georgia.
This year we will be celebrating in worship and attending to the business of the church for the coming year. We also will be voting on delegates to the General Conference which will be held next year in Fort Worth, Texas. Please pray for the right people to be sent to represent us. It will be a busy few days.
After the conference on Friday evening, M.L. and I hope to catch up with Todd and Melissa in McPherson and plan to stay the night and then go to the state track meet in Wichita. Kyle and his 4 x 800 relay team qualified at regionals so we are going to cheer him and the team on to victory. Or maybe more realistically, a good personal best as a team. Should be fun.
M.L. then is planning to get together with her sisters for the weekend in Marion while I look for a ride back to Leoti from Wichita. So as you can see, a busy time lies ahead. Hopefully everything works out okay so I'll see you on Sunday. Have a great week!!