Medieval Feast

Today the twins turned 7 years old and they requested a medieval feast. We have been studying Kings and Queens for the last couple of months and this was a great way to wrap that up. Everyone had a blast. We ate by candlelight using only spoons and knives! Almost all our food was period related and was accompanied by medieval music. It was a LOT of fun, but a LOT of work!

Resurrection Faith

“As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev’s widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev’s wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband’s chest. There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband” (Gary Thomas, Christianity Today, October 3, 1994, p. 26).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ has a long history of inspiring uncommon acts of faith and courage from very common men and women. What motivated Peter, the one who had denied Jesus before a servant girl the night before His crucifixion, to become the great defender who boldly proclaimed the faith in the face of physical beatings, imprisonments and threats of death? He knew that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead! What motivated Paul, who was a vocal critic of Jesus and actively persecuted His followers, to become one who shared the story of Jesus at great personal cost? He had been confronted by the resurrected Lord on the road to Damascus!

I know almost nothing about Mrs. Brezhnev’s faith. Was her faith biblically based? I don’t know. Did she have a clear understanding of every point of doctrine? I doubt it. But it does appear that she had some measure of resurrection faith and that faith caused her to make a silent but bold statement in the heart of an atheistic stronghold. Lord, please help me to have resurrection faith!

God loves you!

Mike

Consistent Victory

On January 5, 2008, the wrestling team from Brandon High School in Florida was defeated in a wrestling dual. That fact alone may not seem too noteworthy to you. After all, unless there is a tie, there is a loser 100% of the time in any given high school sporting event. What makes this particular loss significant is that it was the first loss in a wrestling dual for Brandon High’s wrestling team in 34 years. That’s right. This one wrestling program had put together a string of 459 consecutive dual victories. The New England Patriot’s recently failed quest for an unbeaten season record at 19-0 in professional football pales in comparison to the unbeaten streak assembled by the wrestlers at Brandon High School.

What should not be forgotten in this amazing story is that the Brandon High School wrestling team wasn’t always a winner. Things were rough as the program got on its feet. “(Jim Graves)… was the school's third wrestling coach in three years when he took over the program in 1971…In the first few years, there were no mats, no singlets. Wrestlers ripped mats off the gym walls, taping them together and grappling in a cramped weightroom or auditorium stage. Graves brought to practice filmstrips, which taught wrestlers fundamental moves. They learned together, going to camps and clinics. After their lone losing season (3-10 in 1971-72), the Eagles built the foundation of the streak with a 12-1 year. They were self-taught and, out of necessity, self promoters” (highschool.rivals.com).

Consistent victories for Christ in my life are also built upon the same kind of commitment and sacrifice. Even though I might desire immediate and consistent spiritual success, I know that a foundation for success must first be built. Attitudes must be changed. Virtues must be practiced. Lessons must be learned from defeats. Most importantly, I must remember to put my faith in the Ultimate Victor. “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). His winning streak is unsurpassed!

God loves you!

Mike

Dealing With Difficult People

Walter “Buck” Swords had made Melina Salazar’s job miserable far too often. Swords frequented the Luby’s Cafeteria in Harlingen, Texas, where Salazar worked as a waitress. And while he was one of her most loyal customers, he had also proved to be the most difficult. Rarely was anything quite right for Swords. His food had to meet his strict standards, and when it didn’t (which was nearly always), he would direct his curse-laden tirades at Salazar. But through it all, she would put on a smile and treat him as well as she treated any of her other customers.

This went on for nearly seven years. Then Salazar noticed that Swords suddenly stopped coming into the cafeteria. The reason for his absence became clear in July of 2007, when she saw his obituary in the local paper. Later the same year, shortly before Christmas, Salazar received an unexpected gift. In the distribution of Sword’s estate, it was revealed that the waitress he had so often mistreated had been included in his will. Swords had willed that Salazar receive $50,000.00 and the keys to his 2000 Buick.

“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good” (Thessalonians 3:13; cf. Galatians 6:9-10). Do you find it difficult to treat those who are being ungodly in a godly way? I don’t know about you but I find it much easier to just to be ugly in return. It is tempting to just ignore or abandon those who mistreat me or disagree with me. I would much rather be nice only to those who are nice to me. But according to Jesus, that makes me no different than any other sinner (Luke 6:33). On the other hand, when I am kind to unkind people, I will share in a heavenly reward because I am acting just like my Heavenly Father (Luke 6:35). Father, it is so tempting to mistreat those who mistreat me. Please help me to be more like You as I interact with difficult people.

God loves you!

Mike

peep peep

I love fowl. When we farmed I had two varieties of chickens, barred rock and rhode island red, plus ducks and guinea hens. Mike ~finally~ consented to let me (us) have chickens again. He said his middle name is Cave.......... So we are checking on the babies frequently and they are getting lots of "people" time with two little girls. This time around we have 2 barred rocks, 2 buff orphingtons, 2 aracunas and 2 rhode island reds!!! YIPEEE!!!!!