God Is A Capable Father

“God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes!” (Ephesians 3:20 LB)

RAMBLINGS from Connor’s dad – Our three kids have been a joy to raise. They have had their challenging moments, but those are easily overshadowed by a lifetime of great times together.

I remember a little 5th grader who got it in his head he wanted to see his teacher, Heather Bowman, off to Peru. She was going in to full-time missionary work there and Connor wanted to “escort” her to South America with several dozen other people. Frankly, I didn’t want to go because taking almost two weeks off as a brand new small business owner was insane. But go we did.

We both were blessed beyond our wildest dreams. We saw God at work in so many ways. We came home changed for the better because of that trip. Since then, Connor has been on numerous mission trips both here in the states, and to other countries. It has molded him into the young man he is today.

I had no way of knowing at the time that this little adventure would have such a profound impact on Connor. It helped shape him into the man he would become. Of course the whole time, God was watching, smiling, and thinking “Ted you are going to be so surprised!”.

Now that I think about it, I am sure He says that EVERY day about something going on in my world. Our Heavenly Father is just awesome like that!…

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,  forever and ever. Amen.  (Ephesians 3:20)

Building People Requires Unselfishness

RAMBLINGS from Evan’s dad – Several weeks ago Evan and I put out some new plants. We had a number of planters around the pool that needed a summer occupant. I ran down to the local nursery and upon my return, Evan and I transferred the beautiful plants to their new homes.

Periodically, when needed, we have watered those new house guests. I’ve been able to monitor them from the window every morning. I also have kept the goats away from their foliage.:)

Yesterday, Evan and I were outside once again around the pool. I asked him to take the watering pot and give our new leafy friends a drink. As he was making his rounds he asked me why one of the plants was dying. When I walked over, I discovered he was referring to one of its big red blooms. I assured him the plant was ok, but the bloom had come to the end of the road.

I guess we are a lot like those blooms. We are only here for s short time. We can be useful, or we can be useless, but either way, the clock is ticking.

I am so thankful for the the people God placed in my path who have helped water and even protect me as they nurtured me spiritually. They enabled me to bloom and grow spiritually. Hopefully, I am able show Christ in me and continue this process with others along their spiritual journey….

 

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

 

Jesus Gives Honest Counsel

“Speak the truth in love.“(Ephesians 4:15)

RAMBLINGS from Lacy’s dad – Kris has the gift of meeting with women and counseling them on issues they might be having in their marriage and lives. She loves on them. She encourages them. She counsels them. And then she loves on them some more.

Lacy seems to be blessed with the same gift. I was sitting at the table yesterday having lunch with the family when I heard her give some very good advice to one of her brothers. She did it in a very loving way, sandwiching her advice/correction between love and praise. I know who she learned that from, because her teacher has been very effective with me using that approach.:)

Recently, a friend got upset with Lacy for confronting her on some bad decisions. She went into all kinds of reasons why Lacy should have left well enough alone. After coming at her, she paused for Lacy’s apologies. To hear Lacy tell it, she only apologized for the way things turned out. She told her friend that she loved her, but based on her Biblical convictions, she would do the same thing again.

I want friends like that. Friends who will love me in spite of all my faults. Friends who when they see me doing something wrong, will confront me in a loving way. Friends who won’t stand by and let me make big mistakes that will mess my life, and other lives up. I hope that I can be that kind of friend, too.

Now that I think about it, isn’t that what God wants to do with us? He let His Son die for us while we were still sinners. He has His Holy Spirit convict us when we are heading in the wrong direction.  He loves us right where we are, but, He also loves us too much to leave us there…..

 

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ,  (Ephesians 4:15)

Jesus Encouraged People

RAMBLINGS from Connor’s dad – By nature I am not encouraging. Kris might even tell you that at times my love language is words of “discouragement”. I have to fight it. I have to be keenly aware of it.

This morning I woke the boys up as they enjoyed their first Monday of summer. Connor is starting a class today for CNA certification. We talked to him and all agree we think it’s a good first step, if he wants to be a doctor, for him to learn medicine from the ground up.

He wasn’t exactly excited to be getting up after just finishing his freshman year of college, only to start class again. I asked him if I could bring him a cup of coffee and his reply was an instant yes!

A few minutes later I came back up the steps with a fresh cup of coffee made the way he likes it. He smiled as I handed it to him. I told him I loved him and that I hoped he had a great first day.

Walking back down the steps I realized that left to my own devices I would have yelled up the steps to him to get his fanny up and get ready for class. Thankfully, I took a page from the Kris King book of encouragement and didn’t!

I bet in His day Jesus would have greeted His disciples in the morning with a fresh pot of coffee…after He finished having some quiet time with His Dad!….

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.  For Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. (Romans 15:1-4)   

Jesus Challenged People

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”  (Jeremiah 17:7-8)  

RAMBLINGS from Kris’ husband – Over the years we have had the opportunity to sit down with many couples and individuals. Sometimes, especially in the early years, we were the talkers. More recently we have been the listeners.

Through the parenting classes and Sunday School classes we had led, Kris has had hundreds of opportunities to speak with women about motherhood or marriage. She has told me that with two ears and one mouth, we should listen twice as much as we talk. So listen she does. And then, she listens some more.

After drinking in everything that is said, she then shares her heart. Often it is from her mistakes and experiences. She tries to be as transparent as possible. She is often firm, but always does so with kindness and honesty.

She always encourages them by sandwiching advice with praise. When she finishes I don’t even think they realize she was doing it because it’s surrounded by so much encouragement and praise.

Kris inevitably challenges them to be better. She challenges them to improve the situation. But she always does it with encouragement.

Now that I think about it, isn’t that what Jesus did?….

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:12)

 

 

Handling Frustration

“In everything give thanks.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV)

RAMBLINGS from Evan’s dad – We started our little business when Evan was 7. He has seen a lot of highs and lows in his young life.  He saw many of the struggles we went through as Christians trying to run a business.

One of the early situations I caused. I jumped into it too quickly, without Kris’ input, because at the time it didn’t seem like a big deal. Kris’ intuition said it would be, and she ended up being right. I had no one to blame but myself. Looking back I prayed little, if at all,because it seemed like a no-brainer. Later it would come back to bite me because of that snap decision.

A year later we had a much bigger dilemma arise that was no fault of our own. It was the lack of ethics by someone else. Two things came out of that storm. First, we prayed like we never had before, pleading to God for wisdom and favor. He graciously gave us both. Secondly, we asked what could we learn from it? And we found ourselves striving to be as “wise as a serpent, and gentle as a dove” in all of our future business dealings.

More recently we were in a situation where we were looking to merge with another company. Everything looked promising. We prayed about it a lot. Most of it looked great. In fact, when I first met with the owner of the other company he immediately started telling me about his faith. It seemed like a slam-dunk. We started looking for an office building to buy to move our new enterprise into. But something kept nagging at Kris and I when we’d leave our meetings. Something seemed to be too good to be true. We prayed more. The new company name was picked. The new headquarters was picked. The paperwork was days from being inked.

And God let the wheels fall off.  The merger fell apart quicker then a poorly made house of cards. At the time I was devastated. I couldn’t understand why He would let it happen! The visions of a bigger and better company vanished like a vapor.

Months later I began to see things more clearly. I saw what could have been, and was so thankful of what God saved us from.  I realized He had answered our prayers, just not in the way we were wanting.

Numerous times we have been deceived and lied to by other business people. Some have even said that’s just how you do business. Bitterness has crept in more then once. The only way I have found to get rid of it, is to pray for them. And  to this day if one of those individuals come to mind, I pray FOR them.

I am so thankful that God is God…and I am not….

 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22)

porn is bad!