Jan. 2-4, '08-Hertzler Doings

On Friday, Judy came for lunch. She brought Mikayla along to spend the weekend with us. She brought Sammy Jo and other gifts. We ate our traditional fare; mashed potato soup and homemade bread. It was sleeting when they got here and the sun was shining when they left. Sammy Jo fell into a deep sleep in my arms. I almost did too, but then Judy did the unthinkable, and took her from me because it was time for her to go. I went back into my bedroom then, and slept deeply for several hours. I love my Judy Blue-Eyes and I love my Sammy Jo, and I love the fact that Judy is driving a caddie that looks just like mine.

On Sat., Arnie, Esther, and Marlin Petersheim, and their friend, Emily, stopped in. They had been at a missions conference in Fla. for a week and were on their way home to Pa. (Freeman arrived home shortly after they came. He had been at the Global Missions Conference with Chi Alpha in Cinn. Oh. for most of the week.) They spent the night and came to church with us on Sunday. We had a relaxing time with them. On Sat. eve., we built a fire and set up a 5 gallon metal bucket filled with candle wax on cement blocks with the fire burning all around. After the wax began to boil, Marlin poured in about a quart of water. Flames, 30 feet high, gushed out of the bucket lid hole. It was like a geiser of fire. We were 50 feet away and felt a blast of heat. It was beyond amazing. Do not try this at home without Marlin's help. We roasted hot dogs and marshmellows in the leftover flames.(Philip and Michael were at a going away party for Eric and April and just missed this science experiment.)

We went to church and saw some changes to the stage and sound system. We were able to add 100 chairs to the sanctuary because of those changes. I got to take care of Sammy Jo while Judy sang in the choir.
Some of the highlights from the sermon were as follows:
A break-down in our relationship with God will result in a break-down in our relationship with others.
If you look at someone who's life is a mess, the following will be true about them. They have no expectation of anything else, and they refuse to grow up.
As we raise our level of expectation, God raises His level of delivery.
We are to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world. The emphasis is on 'ourselves'. No one else can do it for you. Do not allow yourself to be polluted by the world.

P.F. Quote: " I expect God to answer every prayer I pray...I expect God to heal marriages and to bring the Prodigal Son home." These words gave strength to my wobbling faith and I am grateful.

Chase and Eric, Michael and Philip's friends, came home for a lunch of chili and pasta and homemade bread. Phil went with Chase and Michael to pick up some calves from The Raineys'. Michael wants to start his own business with the calves. Later, the boys were shooting clay pigeons. They watched a movie and had a great time. We couldn't pick better friends for our boys.

Good Habits

I read the following by Max Lucado this morning:

"So let us go on to grown-up teaching. Let us not go back over the beginning lessons we learned about Christ." Hebrews 6:1

"I like the story of the little boy who fell out of bed. When his Mom asked him what happened, he answered, " I don't know. I guess I stayed too close to where I got in."

Easy to do the same with our faith. It's tempting just to stay where we got in and never move.

Pick a time in the not-too-distant past. A year or two ago. Now ask yourself a few questions. How does your prayer life today compare with then? How about your giving? Have both the amount and the joy increased? What about your church loyalty? Can you tell you've grown? And Bible study? Are you learning to learn?...

Don't make the same mistake of the little boy. Don't stay too close to where you got in. It's risky resting on the edge." from 'When God Whispers Your Name'

I have to add to this. We can be married and stay on the edge. How attached are we to our spouses? Are we closer today than we were last week? Are we committed to be attracted to them? Do we turn our love towards them? Are we kind? Are we consistent? Where do we want to be a year from now in our marriage? What can we do to make it happen?
Sometimes, we control others by our moods. If we smile, then they know that things are OK. If we are frowning, then they know they have to watch it. Life is hard enough out there. Let's smile at our spouse. Let's give them more than we would a close friend or someone we are just getting to know. If we have the energy to be friendly to an acquaintance, we have the energy to be friendly at home.

A Repairer of the Breach

One morning this week, I woke up to this scripture.
It's from Isaiah 58:6-10.

"Is this not the fast I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say,
"Here I am."
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Than your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

The LORD will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a well~watered garden,
And like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail

Those from among you Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
I'm going to think about this for awhile.
A breach in the city wall is where the enemy has gotten in.
When the enemy is in the city, the streets are not safe.

I think I'd like to be called by those names.
Signed, "A Repairer of the Breach and a Restorer of Streets to Dwell In Wannabee"