…It’s Friday morning. I spent much of the morning detailing; adding moldings and trim around the door and window openings. I’ve also started to add some color. My first choice was green for the trim, but the more green I applied, the more I didn’t like it, so I’m am going with blue. I’m so surprised in the amount of time that this stage of construction has taken. It feels like after the major construction is over we have to deal with the smaller details.
Samuel l6. 7 But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart." (The Message)
The bible says that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We are instructed to live one day at a time, not to worry about tomorrow, that tomorrow will take care of itself. We all have different gifts to build up the body, and if we withhold these gifts the body suffers. Years ago I believe I was given a word for the church we were attending at the time. The word was to worry about nothing, pray about everything. We are called to pray at all times, to pray in every situation, and expect God to answer our prayers.
Have you ever gone ahead of yourself in things that you needed to do? Maybe you weren’t too proud of something you said, or something that you needed to make right. A promise you made, that you still need to keep. I believe our hearts can grow cold if we let these moments pass us by. So many people struggle to hear Gods voice, I think we hear fine, the struggle is in doing what He says. Somewhere in our lives we left things unfinished. It could be as simple as writing a letter to someone and thanking them for the encouragement they gave you, or visiting your mom and giving her a bigggg hug, or calling an old friend and sharing your heart. It’s funny how sometimes we have to be reminded of the simpler things of life. I’m so looking forward to the day when I start to add lights to my house, but for now I have to take stock of where this building is at, and complete what needs to be done. My prayer is that each one of us would take stock of where we’re at before we move on. Log-On.

The Gift

… Have you ever picked up your camera because you needed that special picture? It really shouldn’t come as a surprise to me anymore but it still does, that the Father of the universe wants to bless me. As I’ve said in earlier blogs this isn’t about dreams or log houses, it’s about going deeper and hearing God for yourself. On an earlier blog, I needed a picture of our church building. Since our church doesn’t look like a church, and it has many functions, the picture I needed to take would be special. Did you know that God gives good gifts to his kids? As I’m standing, thinking, do I take a picture of the people in the congregation, or a picture of the building? Just then my son walks by holding his sons hand, and my spirit is moved, and my thoughts turn to a Holy Father. A proud father, a strong father, holding his child’s hand, and the child being so comfortable, as there is almost a oneness to their stride. This isn’t the picture I had come for, but it’s the one that impacted my spirit. God wants to walk with us, all we need to do is reach up and take his hand.


Psalms 25:4-5 Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. 5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

The Heart

…The Fireplace: it’s the focal point, it’s where things happen. If I close my eyes I can almost see myself sitting in a big, old armchair drinking a cup of coffee, and reading a good book. Or just being quiet and listening to the fire and feeling the heat. Because of the massive size of the logs, the heat from the fire is retained in the logs, giving the home a warm, friendly feel.
When designed, a good designer takes special attention to where he places the fireplace in a log home, so that maximum heat penetrates the rest of the home.
Fuel is the heart of the fire in the fireplace. Heat you can feel, but you can’t touch. Flames give character as they dance and move, as if they were reaching upwards. If you don’t add fuel, the fire will go out. If you were to keep a small ember going, you could add more fuel and reignite the fire. Why is it that when you walk into a room and the fire is lit, you get drawn to it? Maybe you hold your hands out to warm them, and rub them together, or you turn your back to the fire to warm your back. People with passion, people with a dream, draw me in. I love to hear their stories. You can almost feel their excitement, like heat from a fire as they share their passion. They started with a thought that turned into a dream. As they added more fuel it turned into reality. You may have a dream that if you were to add fuel to; such as schooling, volunteer, serve an apprenticeship, put the time in; who knows what could happen, who knows what would get ignited? On my blog profile I stated that one of my favorite movies is the final Rocky. It’s a movie about heart; having something inside of you that needs to be taken care of, going the distance, and finishing well. Leavin’ it all in the ring.
Heart, a word I have never really been comfortable saying, is not that organ that beats inside of us, keeping our bodies alive. It’s more that part of us that we can’t hold, but you can feel it. We all want to feel GOD’S presence, to hear from Him, to know the He walks with us, to be passionate about the things that are pleasing to Him. The Bible says we’re to have a heart after the things that please God. What is that, and what does that look like? At times I’ve shared my heart with my daughter. It’s usually a lesson, or a promise from some experience that I have felt God saying something to me. Sometimes, not all the time, I tear up, and she can see how much of what I am saying means to me. I believe it’s moments like these, she see my heart. The other morning we were having a chat, and a cup of coffee, and as she started to tell me something that has impacted her, I could see how something inside her was moved, something in her spirit, and as she shared her heart, she started to tear up. She paused, looked at me, and said, “I get that from you”. The Father’s heart. We are called to have a heart after God’s own heart, it’s loving, always forgiving, always wanting the very best for us, it’s excited for us when things work out, and sad when things fall apart. My own heart has been encouraged, as I have tried to share some of my thoughts with you, and I am thankful for that. I am also wondering if it’s time for some of us to get back in the ring?

Jeremiah 15:20 They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall. They will not conquer you, for I will protect and deliver you. I, the LORD, have spoken!

It,s Just a Building

…It wasn’t that long ago that people lived in log homes, grew their own food, had some farm animals, and were basically self-sufficient. My son commented he wished he had grown up in the Sixties, because the music back then was better. Sometimes I wish I would have grown up in a different era. I wonder what it would have been like to live off the land? Hard work I’m sure; rewarding probably. I’m sure they took the time to rest, go to church, be with family and friends, or just enjoy a day away from work. But the world has changed. I think we have given that away, and lost something in return. With the pressures of life, high mortgages, the fast pace we are all moving in, it’s difficult to find a place to be still. Church isn’t about the building; it’s about the people, it’s about a sense of belonging. It’s about coming together as one, and giving thanks as we worship. Our church service this week was a worship service-Super Sunday. Our God is a God of second chances, and I am so grateful to this body of believers. As I look over the congregation my mind is reminded of some of the people that have prayed for my family, and I rejoice in my spirit. Sometimes we can leave a service with a word, a thought, or maybe a conviction. Today I was so grateful to Graham and the worship team because I got to leave with a song, ‘Our God’: “And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?” Monday. I’ve sanded the dark look away. It took longer than I had hoped it would. Wow! All I can say or feel at this time is, “Lord you know my heart, and I will search for yours.” There’s a real darkness that wants to remind us that we aren’t good enough, that we fail more than we win, that sin leaves it’s mark on us. But we need to press in to all that God has for us. I think its o.k. to be reminded how far we’ve come, and give praise and thanks to where we are. Hebrews 12: 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. My prayer, as you read this verse is that you take out your Bible and read the remaining verses. Log-on.

Moments in Time

…Dreams don’t always come true. Reality, life, call it what you want, has a way of coming to the surface, and sorting itself out. I have often wished I had known my own dad’s dreams, his thoughts, what his hopes were; but that wasn’t to be. He died when I was 25, and we never got to have that conversation. Maybe I am too open with my dream. Dreams don’t always come true. It’s the memories of our loved ones that are true; it’s the songs they taught us, the hugs they gave us, their moment in time we got to spend with them. Today I stained the logs. It made the house look darker than I had hoped; a look that I am not happy with. It was kind of discouraging; to a point of what’s the use? I have spent all this time, and there seems to be heaviness over the project. But there is something inside of me that needs to complete this task. As I sit sipping my morning coffee; trying to pray, and hear in my spirit where I am at, and what lessen I will learn. Somehow I feel at peace. We are all stained. We all have sinned. We all have past stuff we would like to forget. Sometimes I need to be reminded how far I’ve come; how much I’ve been forgiven.
It’s a new day. I still think the stain gives the house an overall dark feel. Sometimes my own spirit has a darkness, almost a heaviness that I don’t like. We are called to be transformed, to renew our minds, to share each other’s burdens. So I open His blueprint. It’s funny, I feel like I’ve had a conversation with the foreman. What a strange thought. I get some advice. Simple, why don’t you remove some of the stain? Sometimes we can get so caught up in the problem, that we don’t see the simple solution.
So I did some sanding. I removed some of the dark stain – and I press on.
Romans 12, 1:2 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
I would like to encourage you as you read, that God is in the business of transforming lives. My prayer for you is that you don’t give up, and miss out on the way he will transform your life. Log-ON

The Covering

The site been chosen (us)…the foundation is in, the walls are up, the door and window openings are cut out. Now is time to think about the roof. The roof of a log house has two functions. First is to keep the inside dry; second to protect the logs from the elements with an extended overhang, or covering. God’s Holy Spirit is given to each one of us at birth. It sits in our very core like a seed sits in the ground, waiting for just the right time when it breaks free. The young shoot struggles to the surface where it can find fresh air, sunlight, and nourishment to grow. There is an accuser. All he wants to do is pile on more dirt, more darkness, more rain than we need, to drown our spirit. His main goal is to stop you from being all that God has called you to be. You could be a young person looking for direction as you try to find your way, or a young couple learning to raise a family. Maybe you’re a grandparent reflecting on a life that has past. Wherever you are on this journey, you still need to break free. We still need to push upwards as we grow. There is a covering when we are in God’s will. There’s joy,
contentment, laughter, song, dance and even tears. There’s also a peace that passes all understanding. As I struggle in my spirit with the roof, and how it relates to this house, I can see how I still need to grow. My prayer and hope for you as you read some of my thoughts is that I have encouraged you to go deeper and grow. Phil 4 :6-8 6 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. 7 Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. 8 Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (The Message)

Design

A need to fit… Log homes are designed in such a way that allows for settling and shrinking of the logs. Because of the high moisture content in each log, allowances have to be made over doors and windows with gaps. These gaps allow the logs to settle and not crush the doors or windows. As the years go by in a log home, the logs learn to find their fit. It’s been said that you can hear the logs pop and crack as the moisture evaporates.
Overtime, as the logs settle and find their fit, the home becomes a much tighter and stronger structure. During construction, metal threaded braces which support the building are placed in critical locations. It’s the owner s responsibility to adjust these supporting rods as needed.
We are designed with a need to fit in somewhere. It could be on a sports team, a career path or profession, or even a church. There is something that is added to each one of us that we need friendship and acceptance.
To put it another way, All We Need Is Love. Have you ever noticed the confidence you see in newlyweds? There’s nothing they can’t do, they’re in Love. Or an athlete in top form in the game he loves. There’s an assurance that he could conquer any opponent. Love is such a small word, but it’s the greatest gift you will ever get. There’s the love between a parent and a child, the love two people have for each other, or the love in your heart for a cause. Love to each one of us may seem different, but I don’t think it is. Love in a way is surrender to whatever we give our heart to. It should come as no surprise that Christ’s Spirit is standing at the door, the door to your heart. He is knocking. He is waiting. He is waiting for your will to surrender. To open up and let him in. All we have to do is believe.