Thursday, July 9, 2009

Updates/ recalling the past

Welcome sunshine!
Here in Maine, we have experienced the longest bout of rain in my memorable past. It seems like all we have seen is rain, but the sun is shining today. We are finally getting back to Maine summer as I remember it. Funny though, how our memories are not always accurate. I am sure that every single day when school was out as a child, that we ran and played, went to the frog pond, or went swimming.
I don't recall specifically any rainy days, yet I am sure there were plenty. Without them, we would not have had the wonderful harvest seasons that I also recall. Barbara and J.Aubrey Davis used to have quite a garden and gave produce to many families such as ours in need. It is such a blessing to think back on how the Lord has used His people reaching out in love to others to show the love of Christ in our lives. Many acts of love from our fellow believers are burned in my memory to this day. I thank God for all the people He has put in my life. My childhood surely was full of acts of love and kindness, and an attempt to recall them all fills me with joy and sadness as I think of all that
I got an email this morning from one of my school teachers. She just wanted to catch up and I was reminded that many who I grew up with are serving the Lord in many ways, but maybe even more are living their own lives without God's guiding hand at the wheel. She said (and I am convinced I should follow) that she prays for all those whose lives she had some influence on.
Many people from my past are not walking with the Lord, and we all have ties with people that need to come to the Savior. We all have friends, neighbors, coworkers and relatives that don't know the Lord. We need to be in fervent prayer that God will draw all those to Himself. Also, it is important that we realize it is the privilege of each blood bought believer to share the Gospel with those who have not heard, and encourage those who have strayed to come back into fellowship with the God that loves them so much that He sent His Son to die in their place.
Many families and friends have come and gone from our lives, some without warning through death, some have moved away, and others just seem to lose touch. I know there are many in my life that left without my ever sharing the Gospel with them. Some went to church or Christian school, but I remember that I did not come to know the Lord until I was 25, even after being in church every time the doors were open. Life is so short, so precious, and it is the only one we get. Let's make sure we don't let another person leave our lives without hearing of God's love for them that necessitated such a sacrifice as the spotless Lamb of God gave for us.
As for updates, I am feeling a bit better, but continue to pray that my health will improve so that the surgery will be able to be done as scheduled. Next week, the 16th, we leave Thomaston for Walpole, New Hampshire. We will be attending the Follow Me Conference for 3 days and I will be speaking Saturday evening about how God has used trials to draw us closer to Him. We will be there until Monday morning, when we head to Westbrook, Maine to work with Spring Hill Gospel Hall in preparing for their vacation Bible school. This brings us back to Thomaston the last week of July, with appointments to be done before surgery, then in the area for the most part until early September when we head to North Carolina.
Sara had her first appointment with the midwife, and we had an ultrasound done. Baby and mommy are both doing well, while a "due date" has been forecasted for Feb 21. Sara is still battling morning sickness, but is happy to have that constant reminder of the wonderful blessing of a new baby that God has given us. Nausea is not, for most, considered a blessing, yet for Sara it is considered assurance that "everything is OK" and we thank the Lord each day for all the blessings He has given us.
Nathaniel has been busy mowing lawns and helping Grandpa out in many ways around the house. That included much work in the recent Independence Day celebrations here in Thomaston. We were also blessed to have the Watson and Adams families and Mark's mom join us for the 4th. We had a great time of fellowship and of course food. Nathaniel has also been reading a lot, and will be going out door to door with us this afternoon in Rockland.
Virginia and Naomi have enjoyed this time visiting with friends and family. They are excited to have the sun out today, as that means they can ride bikes and play in the grass, two of their favorite activities. They are also anxiously awaiting the "grand opening" of the pool. We have had it up for a while, but are installing a new filter system and some other things need to be done before we can jump in. Besides that, it has not exactly been swimming weather so far this summer. Sara is continuing some school with the kids a few days a week and they are enjoying their studies.
The work in the local church has been such a blessing to us. We went out with 4 brothers in Belfast to share the Gospel on Tuesday, and will be out today with one of those young men that went with us Tuesday. Nathaniel will also join us today. We had a great prayer meeting in Union last night, and are excited to see another mid week meeting starting soon. It is so important for believers to get together, not just for Sunday worship, but regularly to encourage one another and pray together. This time of prayer and studying God's Word, coupled with laboring together in the Gospel, is a recipe for unity and growth in the local church. I am excited to see such growth in the lives of brothers and sisters in Christ. God is at work, knitting our hearts together, and
uniting us in love for His glory and honor. What a blessing to see lives forever changed by the Gospel and to see God's people serve Him!