27 Kisses

Twenty Seven Reasons why I love my Wife of Twenty Seven Years

1. She is the first Person I felt "Love at First Sight" with. "I Thought WOW"
2. She kissed me on our First Date. "I can still Feel it"
3. She is adventurous. "Bee's in Bronco's"
4. She Defends me. "Even from her ex-Boyfriend who would have killed me."
5. She Parties like a Rock Star. "Those of you who know her know what I mean."
6. She can think for herself. "Texas? Really?"
7. She is Patient. "Dating a Drunk Boyfriend but knowing there is good in me!"
8. She is Crazy. "For putting up with me in the early years."
9. She has always made me feel like a Man. "even when I was a stupid boy"
10. She loved Def Leppard Loud. "What? Rock of Ages!!!!"
11. She can Dance. "Sorry Hun, I got no body rhythm"
12. She develops deep deep friendships. "Love ya Teresa (Heaven) Liz and Misty"
13. She has never blown our money. "when I had it. lol"
14. She trusted Jesus as Her Savior and fell in Love with Him.
15. She gave me a Son. "Michael is and always has been tied as the most Beautiful baby I have ever seen."
16. She fell in Love with Another Man. "Our Son!.It was Awesome to see her raise him."
17. She gave me a Daughter. "Kasey is an always has been tied as the most Beautiful baby I have ever seen."
18. She Fought for our Daughters Life. "and Still Does"
19. She toughed it out in San Fransisco for months without me caring for Kasey without Whining.
20. She has been an amazing mother. "Teaching my kids things I never would have thought of."
21. She stood with me as we gave up the life we had, to serve others in the life we have.
22. She put up with Cranky Church Ladies and did not leave me. "Still Does and still won't"
23. She has suffered Greatly and fought Valiantly. "The Accident"
24. She is the friend I always wanted, but did not deserve.
25. She is stunningly beautiful, even as "I" grow older.
26. She is Fun and Funny. "Not when using Knappa Humor"
27. I get to spend the rest of my life with her. "Beyond Seventy!"

While there are many more, these will do.

Debra, I Love You

A Letter from PRob to newLife

Seven things I want to share with you from this weekend.

1. Joe Jasper is Awesome.
2. Rick Lawrence is Awesome.
3. Khayla Cave is Awesome.
4. Ron Isom is Awesome.
5. Darcy Cotte is Awesome.
6. Alexis Warn is Awesome.
7. Heather Dietriche is Awesome.

AWESOME: Something that inspires Awe or Admiration.

For many reasons these people stood out this Sunday as a testament to Christ Love and the Joy of Christianity.
Thank you for Being Awesome!

Little Things

A child who says to their Pastor, they "I Love you All Day"
A friend who values your relationship so much that rather than be angry at you they text you, "I do love you and appreciate our friendship very much"
A man who has struggled spiritually yet because of grace and love prays publicly for his pastor.
A new family who is so concerned with the pastors wife that though they do not know her well, reach out in love to her.
A couple who give little gifts just to let you know your on their mind.

Little things
They keep you going.
They make every day special.

I know that yesterday God gave our Church a big thing.
The Birth of Dan and Michelle Finns daughter is a testament of a woman's faith and a churches love and Danielle's (probably not spelled right) birth is a Big thing.
But don't we expect Big Things from our God?

Little things are not expected and maybe that's why their so big.

Do a little thing for someone this week and I promise it will be big.

A thought for the day

from Pastor Steven Furtick

"We teach our children to say, 'Please' and 'Thank You.' God teaches us to first say, 'Thank You' and then say, 'Please.'"

How to Blow UP your Relationship with God and others

The other day I did something that I greatly regret. I made an assumption about someone that I love dearly that could have cost us our relationship. Thankfully in the midst of the conversation I recognized my error and quickly sought his forgiveness to which he freely gave.

But sitting here this morning thinking about that lesson, I began to notice that I have been doing this with God as well.

I assume I know what God is doing in my life.
I assume I know what God is going to do with my life.
I assume I know what God needs to do for my life.

this is a problem because God might have other plans for me and if I assume something different it will lead to conflict and frustration in our relationship.

Yet, we all make assumptions. We make assumptions about what our spouse is thinking. We make assumptions about how our children feel. We make assumptions about what others believe about us, and these assumptions, especially with God, often lead to unnecessary conflict, worry and stress, as well as broken relationships.

and so today I just want to encourage you to stop assuming and start knowing. Jesus said that "Truth makes us Free" (John 8:32) So in every relationship lets seek the truth by asking Questions. Of God and Others so that we are properly informed and personally inspired by what is TRUE.

While this is a strange quote from Lemony Snicket its true....

“Assumptions are dangerous things to make, and like all dangerous things to make — bombs, for instance, or strawberry shortcake — if you make even the tiniest mistake you can find yourself in terrible trouble. Making assumptions simply means believing things are a certain way with little or no evidence that shows you are correct, and you can see at once how this can lead to terrible trouble. For instance, one morning you might wake up and make the assumption that your bed was in the same place that it always was, even though you would have no real evidence that this was so. But when you got out of your bed, you might discover that it had floated out to sea, and now you would be in terrible trouble all because of the incorrect assumption that you’d made. You can see that it is better not to make too many assumptions, particularly in the morning.”

Zipper 2

I know that this sounds funny, but thanks to the Internet, I fixed the Zipper on my Jacket.
It just needed a little crimping as it had gotten too loose to bind the zips together. (I know there called teeth but zips is funner)

I think this is true in my life right now, I need a little crimping as its been a tough road the last few years.

52 Days of Change and Our Great Transition (ask someone if you don't know) and the loss of friends and church members who did not like the change.
Georges Death
Dales Cancer
Debra's Surgery and long recovery
Decembers Revival (30 members added to the church in a four month period)
Dales Death
Debra's Surgery 2 and her infection scare.

My Zipper is a little loose or you could say, I've lost some zip.
and so when I was able to fix my zipper on my jacket it gave me hope.

How about you, Tired of the Journey? Weary of the battle?
Maybe you too need to find a way to put the crimp in your zipper?

A Letter from PRob to newLife

Hey newLife, there are five things I would like to share with you today.

#1 Sundays Song service was off, way off, but I want you to know what happened because of it.
As I was preparing to preach, the Lord gently spoke to my heart and reminded me of this.
While our Worship is important, He is truly interested in our hearts and has the ability to discern even in discordant tones the truth of our heart.
Meaning: Just Preach and let me do the rest.
I did and so did He.

#2 Life Groups were awesome. I have heard that they were attended better than the service. (something that were going to have to fix) I also heard that the spirit of each one was very positive and upbeat about Jesus and His Church.

#3 We have changed without the leadership making any changes. There is something different about the people that God is bringing to our church. As those who have attended for years are loving God and loving others we are attracting the same. It's an interesting transition that has occurred through a change in our culture. Awesome.

#4 Debra is doing well and I have never seen an outpouring of love from this congregation for her, especially from people who barely know her. Special thanks to Adam and Khayla, Elsie, Ralph and Randy, Rob and Heather, and Malcolm and Darcy. Your Concern and care for her has encouraged not only her but myself. I Love people who Love People.

#5 Last Sunday a young lady came to our church for one reason. She was told that she would be loved here. She is young, bright, yet hurting from life. And from the second she entered this building, people reached out to her in love. She came back again on Thursday night and was loved. But Sunday came and she was not here. While my heart was broken I know this, no one can run from Love. We desire it, crave it, want it. No matter where she is, her experience in two services was this. Her past may be Loss, but here, her present is Love. If you would pray for her today, the young lady, that God would heal her hurting heart and show her the Love He has shown us.

Thank you for the awesome day and I will be Praying for you!

What does it mean when your Leather Jacket Zipper keeps breaking?

I know its been a long summer for me but come on.
Every time I zip my Leather jacket zipper up it pulls apart.
Its not like there are competing forces pulling at each other, there's still plenty of room.
But with Every Zip, there's a Split in the two sides.

This was never Gods intention, for something created to work together to ever come apart.
Like teeth in a zipper the church made up of different people are like the two sides that are supposed to slide in together and hold on to one another until they are forced apart by the Zipper thingy.
No Matter How HEAVY the internal force is pushing against it, its design is to HOLD Together.
No Matter How much PRESSURE from external forces pushing against it, again, its design is to HOLD Together.

Jesus said that He would build His church, and not even the gates of Hell could split it.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

For my Jackets sake, the problem is a few weak teeth near the bottom of the zipper.
Designed to be the strongest, the toughest, they are weary and worn out of anchoring the rest of the teeth.

Solution? I need a whole new zipper as once the bottom teeth are worn it only weakens the rest. And in the Church this is a difficult thing to do.

Let me make a suggestion that would be better.

1. Lets be careful that we understand the pressure of those in the church called to lead.
The life group coordinators, the teachers, the worship team and Pastor. We must always be mindful of the difficult work that they do and its value to the whole church. If they fail, it will be hard to hold things together.

2. Let's be careful how we apply pressure to those in the church called to lead.
Remember, sometimes its the internal pressures that weigh heavy on the zipper.
Lets be careful that we help our leaders, not become a burden to them. Rather than being a problem become a solution and lift pressure off of them by our willingness to serve.

3. Let's be careful of our attitude towards others in the Church. Each one of us holds an important spot in the Church. If we are weak towards the other zips, (become offended or angry at another) we can easily bring down the whole church. Jesus said that they would know who we are by the Love that we show each other. "Love will hold us together"

While I can wear my jacket without being zipped up, its cold, uncomfortable, and dangerous if I crash. If the church is not bound together in love, it will be the same.

We are not called to be apart but together in the work of God.
Lets encourage those zips at the bottom. Pray for your life group coordinator, pray for your child's teacher, pray for the worship team, and pray for your Pastor. We need it as you need us.
Let's Zip it up and go for a Ride!

Home

What is it about Home that feels so good?
Is it your own bed? Your own food? Your own Life?

Debra and I got home late last night and though it was a long hard day, it still is so nice to be home.

Church should feel that way.
I'm not talking about being comfortable, but familiar.
I have to admit, we have been traveling a lot as a church in the past few years.
Trying to move to where God wants us.
At times its been desert, at times its been valley, and there have been some times on the Mountain top.
Maybe now its time to cross the river and build a home.

What do you think newLife?